Pohnpei - Marriage and Family



Marriage. There are two forms of marriage on Pohnpei today. Common marriage is accomplished simply by a couple's decision to live together. A real or legal marriage usually consists of a feast and a church service at which a man and a woman receive recognition and gifts from parents, chiefs, members of the extended families, friends, and fellow clanmembers. Modern marriages are monogamous; divorce is rare. In the past, the chiefly clans encouraged cross-cousin marriages in which a young man or young woman married a member of the father's clan. This practice helped ensure that both parental clans benefited from a division of property in a society where descent was matrilineal and inheritance patrilineal. High-titled chiefs often took more than one wife. The nobility also practiced infant betrothal.

Domestic Unit. The immediate family is the basic Domestic unit on Pohnpei. An average household consists of a man, his wife, their children, and their children's offspring. Residence is usually patrilocal. The notion of extended family is also quite strong.

Inheritance. Inheritance is patrilineal. Current practice permits the division of property among all surviving heirs.

Socialization. Children are raised by both parents and older siblings. Adoption is quite common, especially arrangements involving childless couples who desire an heir for their property and a source of labor and support in their old age. The practice of adoption also provides an inheritance to younger children who, as members of a large immediate Family, would otherwise receive only a small portion of the Father's inheritable wealth. Children are usually adopted by members of their parents' immediate families. Despite Modern economic pressures, Pohnpeians still consider children to be a source of wealth and security; large families are desired.

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User Contributions:

1
Nahealani
So its rare to get an divorce but if they really wanted one how do they go about that

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