Chapter XII: Mother-Kin and Mother Goddesses (12)

705 Compare W. Crooke, _Popular Religion and Folk-lore of Northern
India_ (Westminster, 1896), ii. 8, who proposes, with great
probability, to explain on a similar principle, the European
marriage custom known as the False Bride. For more instances of the
interchange of male and female costume at marriage between persons
other than the bridegroom see Capt. J. S. King, “Social Customs of
the Western Somali Tribes,” _The Folk-lore Journal_, vi. (1888) p.
122; J. P. Farler, “The Usambara Country in East Africa,”
_Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society_, N.S. i. (1879) p.
92; Major J. Biddulph, _Tribes of the Hindoo Koosh_ (Calcutta,
1880), pp. 78, 80; G. A. Grierson, _Bihar Peasant Life_ (Calcutta,
1885), p. 365; A. de Gubernatis, _Usi Nuziali in Italia_2 (Milan,
1878), p. 190; P. Sébillot, _Coutumes Populaires de la
Haute-Bretagne_ (Paris, 1886), p. 438.

706 L. Lloyd, _Peasant Life in Sweden_ (London, 1870), p. 85.

707 J. Liorel, _Kabylie du Jurjura_ (Paris, N. D.), p. 406.

M233 Women’s dress assumed by men for the purpose of deceiving demons and
ghosts.

708 Rev. J. H. Weeks, _Among Congo Cannibals_ (London, 1913), p. 267.
Compare _id._, “Anthropological Notes on the Bangala of the Upper
Congo River,” _Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute_, xl.
(1910) pp. 370 _sq._

709 Lieut.-Colonel J. Shakespear, “The Kuki-Lushai Clans,” _Journal of
the Royal Anthropological Institute_, xxxix. (1909) pp. 380 _sq._

M234 Exchange of costume between the sexes at circumcision.

710 A. C. Hollis, _The Masai_ (Oxford, 1905), p. 298.

711 A. C. Hollis, _The Nandi_ (Oxford, 1909), pp. 53-58. Mr. Hollis
informs me that among the Akikuyu, another tribe of British East
Africa, the custom of boys dressing as girls at or after
circumcision is also observed.

M235 Other cases of the interchange of male and female costume.

712 Plutarch, _Consolatio ad Apollonium_, 22; Valerius Maximus, ii. 6.
13.

713 Plutarch, _l.c._

714 J. Kreemer, “De Loeboes in Mandailing,” _Bijdragen tot de Taal-
Land- en Volkenkunde van Nederlandsch-Indië_, lxvi. (1912) p. 317.

M236 Conclusion.
M237 The systematic prostitution of unmarried girls for hire in the Pelew
Islands seems to be a form of sexual communism and of
group-marriage.

715 J. Kubary, _Die socialen Einrichtungen der Pelauer_, pp. 50 _sq._

716 J. Kubary, _op. cit._ p. 51.

717 J. Kubary, _op. cit._ pp. 51-53, 91-98.

M238 The custom supports by analogy the derivation of the similar Asiatic
custom from a similar state of society.

718 See above, vol. i. pp. 39 _sqq._

M239 Somewhat similar custom observed in Yap, one of the Caroline
Islands.

719 F. W. Christian, _The Caroline Islands_ (London, 1899), pp. 290
_sq._ Compare W. H. Furness, _The Island of Stone Money, Uap of the
Carolines_ (Philadelphia and London, 1910), pp. 46 _sqq._

720 W. H. Furness, _op. cit._ pp. 46 _sq._

721 W. H. Furness, _op. cit._ pp. 49 _sq._

M240 In the Pelew Islands the heir to the chieftainship of a clan has a
formal right to slay his predecessor.

722 J. Kubary, _Die socialen Einrichtungen der Pelauer_, p. 43. The
writer does not translate the word _tobolbel_, but the context
sufficiently explains its meaning.

M241 The plot of death and its execution.
M242 Ceremonies observed before the assassin is recognized as chief in
room of his victim.
M243 But the formalities which a chief has to observe at his accession
are much more complicated and tedious if he has not murdered his
predecessor.

723 J. Kubary, _Die socialen Einrichtungen der Pelauer_, pp. 43-45,
75-78.

M244 The Pelew custom shows how regicide may be regarded as an ordinary
incident of constitutional government.