Identifier: historyofmankind01ratz (find matches)
Title: The history of mankind
Year: 1896 (1890s)
Authors: Ratzel, Friedrich, 1844-1904 Butler, Arthur John, 1844-1910
Subjects: Ethnology Anthropology
Publisher: London, Macmillan and co., ltd. New York, The Macmillan co.
Contributing Library: Wellesley College Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Wellesley College Library

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a. (From a photograph in the Godeffroy Album.) but often also from vanity—the woman not caring to have children until the thirdyear of her marriage. In some parts of the Solomons and the New Hebridesall children even are killed at birth, and substitutes purchased. If the child is a girl,it has generally more prospect of being kept alive where inheritance goes in thefemale line, and where it will carry on the family succession. The birth of twins THE FAMILY AND THE STATE IN OCEANIA 269 is not regarded as actually injurious, though there is a disposition to look uponthem as uncanny. If the children are once allowed to live, everything is done forthem with due care. Not only the parents but the relations make them presents.Little children who are living after their parents death are -adopted by others ;if they are older, natural ties, as well as the laws of inheritance, are honestlyobserved in the traditional way. The most important epochs in life have their own religious consecration.
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Tongan ladies. (From the Godeffroy Album.) God is closer to man than is always the case with us Christians. In Saa, and onthe Lepers Island, toy bows are offered, a week or ten days after birth, on behalfof the boy, that he may be strong ; mat-fibres for the girl, that she may beindustrious. The participation in this of relations on the fathers side is asignificant infraction of mother-right, which in other respects is jealously guarded.In Hawaii, the child at weaning is brought from the mother-house, Noa, to thefather-house, Jlua, and thereby falls under the taboo to be presently mentioned. 27o THE HISTORY OF MANKIND Thereupon the mother sacrifices a pig to her family god, while the father offersava and implores health for the new scion. At the entrance upon manhood theirconsecration is repeated in more severe forms, and attended by customs of ahardening nature. A general fast is held in the family. The grandfather,between whose soul and that of the next generation but one a closer a

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