Araweté - Marriage and Family

Marriage. Bilateral cross-cousin marriage is the ideal union, but spouses may belong to any terminological class except those of parent, sibling, and child. Aside from the cross cousins, there is a distinction for marriage purposes between close and distant kin, the former being considered somewhat less proper partners. Avuncular marriages are common, as well as unions with the father's sister. Sister exchange, serial marriages between sibling sets, levirate, sororate, and avuncular succession also occur. Polygyny is unusual. The repetition of affinal ties between kindreds is sought. Uxorilocality is the stated norm, but postmarital residence hinges on the political influence of the spouses' kindreds. Divorce is very common among childless couples. Marriage is the condition for the establishment of formal friendship ties between couples, the apïhi-pihã relationship, which has as its defining feature sexual access to the friend's spouse.

Domestic Unit. Every married couple lives in a separate house and forms a consummation unit within an extended-family residential cluster. The two-generation extended family is the productive unit for horticultural purposes.

Inheritance . There is no important property or office transmission. At death, the belongings of the deceased that are not destroyed are kept by his or her consanguines and spouse.

Socialization. Children are raised permissively. Fear of the forest spirits is sometimes used to control children. Overt expressions of hostility are discouraged. Sexual behavior is free among children.