[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]
MARRIAGE AND RELATIONS OF SEXES I41
husbands at the same time, and in certain special circumstances,
a condition of combined polygyny and polyandry may exist.
The following is an actual example of this. Manbouggor of
Leirip and Vinmewun Lesles of Vanambang Awei had always
been very great friends. If either were eating a pudding or yam,
he would always call the other to eat half of it. Manbonggor was
married to Viloor of Iumloor, Vinmewun Lesles to a woman
of Mewun. Viloor, Manbonggor’s wife, died, and he wanted
to take another. He was so great a friend of Vinmewun Lesles,
however, that he asked of him whether he would share with
him the new woman of his choice, one Vinvin Mbuas. Vinmewun
Lesles agreed, and they both married Vinvin Mbuas on the
same day, each giving ten pigs to her brother as brideA marriage is always consummated the night after the payment
of the pigs. On this occasion the sleeping mats were arranged
in such a way that Manbonggor lay on the right~hand side of
the bride, Vinmewun Lesles on the left, and they copulated with
her alternately. There remained, however, Vinmewun Lesles’
ï¬Årst wife, the woman of Mewun, who was naturally jealous of
the polyandrous union. Vinmewun Lesles therefore suggested
to Manbonggor that the latter should also marry this woman
of Mewun. Manbonggor complied with this suggestion, and
the ménage now consists of the two men married to the two
women. The sleeping mats are arranged so that Vinvin Mbuas
lay with Manbonggor on her right hand and Vinmewun Lesles
on her left, while the woman of Mewun lay on the left-hand
side of the latter. ‘
In such a case the problem of descent naturally arises:
Fortunately Vinvin Mbuas bore a daughter, Luunt. The question
“ to what place, Leirip or Vanambang Awei, does Luunt belong P "
was put to the assembled company of the amel of Loorhenesang}
Manbonggor himself being also present. The unanimous verdict
was that she belonged to the descent localities of both her
“ fathers " equally ; that in the pastshe could not have married
a ma.n of either place; and that if it were necessaryto signal
for her on the gangs, the rhythms of either or both her " fathers’ â€ù
clans would be beaten out, followed by that of her mother's.
_ ‘ This village is not included in the list oi Seniaug clans and villages. It
is of recent origin, having grown up round the Mission station, on what was
formerly uninhabited land. c. I-I. W.