96 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I42 



Other commodities. From India they import mostly manufactured 

 goods. 



The Tibetans are fond of play and amusements. This inclination 

 is often satisfied by horseracing, gambling, theatricals, and dancing, 

 and by gossiping, smoking, taking snuff, and drinking tea or wine. 

 Some of these amusements are enjoyed in the homes, but they often 

 center in the lamaseries. Sometimes there are folk dances in the 

 homes, when groups of men and groups of women dance alternately, 

 singing as they dance. The great religious festivals are also social 

 affairs where people meet, talk, and drink tea and wine with their 

 friends. Generally the religious ceremonies are followed by at least 

 one day of horseracing and other games. These festivals are the 

 great social events of the year. 



The Tibetans are fond of music. In the evenings at home or when 

 in the saddle, a man often plays a flute. When working in the fields 

 or walking or riding on the roads, a man or a woman frequently 

 bursts into song. Often he or she says in the song what happens to be 

 thought of at the moment. He or she may sing, "It is raining, and if 

 we are not careful we will get wet," or, "The sun is in the sky, and the 

 yak are eating grass." Singing and instrumental music are very im- 

 portant in the religious ceremonies. 



Both men and women are fond of ornaments. These include ear- 

 rings, finger rings, bracelets, necklaces, rosaries, buttons of coral or 

 of silver, snuff bottles, ornamented knives and swords, purses, and 

 tobacco bags. Ornaments are made of, or ornamented with, silver, 

 turquoise, red coral, white bone and shell, and silver coins. 



Engagements are made by parents through go-betweens. Sometimes 

 the young man is consulted by his father, but generally the woman is 

 not consulted. A gift must be made to the woman's family — a yak or 

 something else of value. Temporary marriages are not uncommon, 

 and sometimes trials before marriage. A man invites a woman to 

 spend one or more nights with him. If he does not want her, she then 

 goes away. If he wants her, he takes her for his wife or concubine. 



Monogamy, polygamy, and polyandry all exist in Tibetan society. 

 Monogamy is the common practice, but polygamy is found among 

 the wealthy, and polyandry among the nomadic herdsmen and in the 

 higher altitudes. Polyandry is considered useful in keeping down the 

 population and in avoiding the division of estates and other property 

 among too many descendants. In polyandry one woman is the wife 

 of all the brothers in the same family and has sexual relations with 

 them. The children are regarded as belonging to the oldest brother. 



