Tribes have variety of ways of mate acquirement. As consider m’age as social & civil contract, many don’t perform religious ceremonies for solemnisation of m’age. Majumdar has listed following 8 ways
- Probationary Marriage
- practice of courtship before m’age
- Groom are probationer in brides’s house
- Lives for months → if both likes each other → Mary
- If m’age not solemnised ; groom → compensate bride’s father
- E.g Kuki tribe (MN, NG), aka Raazi Khushi M’age (Chotanagpur)
- By Capture
- In this ; boy & girl knows each other, but m’age not possible due to either due to parent’s resistance or inability to pay bride price → capture only way out
- Often prearranged & takes place in fares, festivals.
- Mock fight b/w both groups → bride’s group pretend to resist
- Symbolise valour & chivalry
- E.g Naga → Physical capture by raid, Konda, Bhumiya, Birhor, Juang
- By Tribal
- In it courage & bravery of boy is appreciated & recognised
- E.g Bhils (MP) – on Holi day ; bachelors & spinsters meet at field
- Boys try to enter thr girls group & eat gur from pole → if success → boy will chose girl from group
- By Purchase
- Prevalent in matrimonial tribes
- Bride price to bride’s father ; decided thr negotiation ; amt has status symbol
- Many times loan taking on exorbitant rates of interest from money lenders
- E.g Kondh, Juang, Ho, Munda ; Renghma Nagas
- By Service
- If unable to pay bride price ; solution to higher bride price
- groom serve in Would be father -in-law’s home ; varies the girl after lapse of specific period (varies)
- Example
- Gond & Baiga – call boy- Lamini & Lamena respectively
- For Purum of Manipur only genuine way of matrimony
- Birhor father in law → lend money ; to pay bride price ; until repay stay in in-laws home & do service ; period varies
- Bhil – if unable to repay – service for 7 yrs
- In Kuki – may serve for max period of 2-3 years .
- By Exchange
- Evolved as Mean of avoiding payments of Bride price
- If boys & girl of marriage able age available in two families
- E.g Kondh, Saora, Juang, Santhal but Khasi (MG) don’t permit
- By Elopement
- Unmarried boys & girls → dormitory life & involves in sexual relation
- If parents don’t give permission for m’age → flees away
- But accepted back in societies or parents search them & arrange m’age ; bride price easily avoided
- E.g Choto Nagpur region – as Udra-Udri Cholki practise ; Juang, Santhal, Kodha, Saora
- By Intrusion
- reverse of by capture, girl – express desire to marry man & goes to his family & stay
- Even if resisted → forcefully stays despite non-acceptance of the ♂
- n the process subjected to ; humiliation, physical torture, denied food
- Stays till accepted (if passes humiliation) → m’age performed
- E.g widely in Birhor & Ho (chota Nagpur) also in Juang, Kondh, Bhuiya
- By Mutual Consent –
- Formally performed by marriage by mutual consent of concerned parties
- the result o contact with Hindus
