Gunnison Valley News | 1919-07-25 | Page 6 | Have to Purchase Brides

HAVE TO PURCHASE BRIDES Santali Indian Bridegroom Must Lay Up Money Before He Can Aspire As-pire to a Wife. The Santali Indians must literally purchase their brides. They pay a sum of money to the girl's parents usually about 100 dupees and, in addition, ad-dition, they present the mother and the female relatives with new saris or shawls. Should the bridegroom choose a widow for his wife, she will only cost half the sum mentioned. The reason why the Santali Indians hold widows In less regard than unmarried females Is because they assert that In the next world man and wife are reunited, hence a widow who marries again is only "lent" to her second husband. When a young man courts a girl who does not favor his suit, he adopts an eccentric way to cure her stubbornness. stubborn-ness. After having dipped his finger in red paint, he goes in search of the lady and imprints his mark on her forehead. Then he may claim her as his wife.