Ticuna - Marriage and Family

Marriage. The basic rule governing moieties is based on moiety exogamy. Marriage must take place between members of different moieties. Formerly, the preferred form of marriage was for the maternal uncle to marry his niece. The most common form of marriage today is between people of the same generation. Cross-cousin marriage, which was permissible under traditional rules, is considered incestuous by the Catholic missionaries. Also, polygyny, which was practiced frequently in former times (a man could be married to several women, who were generally sisters), has now given way to monogamy. Children belong to their father's clan. In times past, residence tended to be uxorilocal; now it is neolocal. Divorce is infrequent among the Ticuna.

Domestic Unit. Nuclear families tend to live near others to whom they are related, either on the maternal or paternal side, and there is economic exchange and cooperation between them.

Inheritance. According to Nimuendajú (1952, 64), inheritance is from father to son and from mother to daughters.

Socialization. The care and education of a child are in the hands of his or her parents. Education is imparted through activities related to practical situations. Children are raised permissively. Unacceptable behavior elicits scolding, or in exceptional cases, corporal punishment. Nowadays children go to school, where they learn how to speak the language of the country, either Spanish or Portuguese, and the Catholic doctrine.