Hopi Indian Marriage Practices

Running head: MARRIAGE PRACTICES

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Different Marriage Practices
By Jobi Yeary
Cultural Anthropology 101
Instructor Sarah Council
08/17/14

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Running head: MARRIAGE PRACTICES

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In this paper I am going to show the difference in two cultures with their marriage practices. It amazes me how you can have so many different types of marriage rituals in the world today. The two cultures I picked were the Oraibi (Hopi) Indians and the Hindu. I will demonstrate how completely different these cultures view marriage practices.
We’ll start with the Oraibi culture as it was once known. Today they are known as the
Hopi Indians which is part of my own heritage. The Hopi Indians believe that those that
Once they have decided that they want to be a couple they inform their families. After they have courted for a while and have decided it is time to marry they will again inform the parents or if the parents are passed on they will go to the next heads of the house (Voth, H.R 1900).
The bride-to-be when she has chosen it is time to marry the mother will take the daughters hair down and tie it in knots on either side of her head. They will take a tray with some white corn on it to the soon to be husbands home. The mother will call out “Take this”. The mother of the husband will answer the door and say “Thank you” and either “Come in” or “Sit down”. At this point the daughter comes in and stays while her mother goes home.
Now the bride-to-be is called “Μοvi” and according to the time of day will determine what happens next. If she comes to the mother-in-law in the morning then she will spend the rest of the morning and afternoon grinding white corn. If she comes at night then she will spend the night with the females of the family and begin grinding the white corn in the morning. Once evening comes she will then begin to fold skins and blankets. During this time the Movi
There are two kinds of marriage ritual. Vedic Marriage is basically most marriages where
Gandharva Vivaha or Kanthi-badal is a marriage of love. In all the rituals the bride uses a
Sindooram which is a red or orange-red cosmetic powder to mark along her hair line or dot her forehead. They also wear a Mangala Sutra which is a necklace that the grooms ties around the brides neck to symbolize that she is married. One last item is the bangles. It is stated that the bride will usually wear glass bangles and once the last bangle breaks the honeymoon is over.
Hindu weddings can be very expensive and are usually paid for by the parents. The common middle to upper class wedding can have up to 500 guests. They will have a live instrumental band and will serve food of many delicacies. Some celebrations can last as long as a week. There are several rituals that take place for the marriage to happen.
Kanyadaan is where the father gives away his daughter to the groom. He places his daughters hand in the soon to be grooms and vows are exchanged where the groom promises to not fail his wife in a moral/lawful life, wealth and love. Panigrahana is where the groom