Marriage Mechanics
Do Tibetan men and women generally find the idea of sharing a spouse unusual or repulsive?
no—they do not find it unusual, repulsive, or scandalous
What is the main reason Dorje gives for choosing to marry polyandrously with his brothers?
to avoid dividing the family farm and animals, and to improve standard of living
What is the age difference between Dorje and his new bride?
8 years—Dorje is 15 and she is 23
Is there evidence of institutionalized female infanticide in Tibetan society?
no
Is fraternal polyandry increasing or declining in Tibetan areas today?
declining
In a polyandrous household, who typically manages the household and holds the most authority?
the eldest brother
Why does polyandry help preserve inherited family resources?
it prevents fragmentation of land and wealth by consolidating heirs
In Limi (1974), what percentage of women of childbearing age were unmarried?
31%
What explanation did an 18th-century Jesuit give for the practice of polyandry?
the sterility of the soil and limited farmland (to prevent starvation)
What external factors are causing the decline of polyandry?
political changes, economic shifts, and social mobility (e.g., tourism, government jobs)
What is the term for a marriage in which brothers jointly take a wife?
fraternal polyandry
Why is it difficult for a younger brother to establish his own household independently?
due to limited arable land, labor demands, and family reluctance to divide property
What is the cultural expectation for how the wife treats each of her husbands?
equal affection and sexuality
Why is polyandry not common among the landless poor?
because they lack land to preserve and have fewer material incentives for joint marriage
What new life paths are now competing with traditional marriage systems in Tibetan society?
employment, trade, and mobility in the modern economy.
How do children typically treat their fathers in a polyandrous marriage?
they treat all the brothers as their fathers, regardless of biological paternity
What form of traditional labor obligation made polyandrous families especially advantageous?
corvée labor (required unpaid labor for a lord or estate)
What are some life paths available to unmarried women in Limi?
living at home, becoming servants, single motherhood, or becoming Buddhist nuns
How does the article challenge the assumption that romantic love is the primary basis for marriage?
by showing that marriage can be structured for economic and social stability instead
When a younger brother leaves a polyandrous marriage, what happens to the children?
they remain with the main household, regardless of biological paternity
What determines whether a younger brother participates in the initial wedding ceremony?
age—very young brothers usually do not participate but join the marriage in their mid-teens
What economic activities are typically combined in Tibetan subsistence life?
farming and animal husbandry
What are two major sources of conflict within polyandrous families, according to the article?
authority imbalances and sexual favoritism
What concept helps anthropologists understand practices like polyandry without judgment?
cultural relativism
Who is the anthropologist who authored “When Brothers Share a Wife”?
Melvyn C. Goldstein