TABOO AND GENETICS 135 



They alsQ distinguish very definitely between 

 the offices of husband and wife. For example, 

 when a man has brought a seal to land, it would 

 be a stigma on his character to draw it out of 

 the water, since that is the duty of the female. 

 (51). In the Marquesas Islands, the use of 

 canoes in all parts of the islands is rigorously 

 prohibited to women, for whom it is death even 

 to be seen entering one when hauled on shore ; 

 while Tapa-making, which belongs exclusively 

 to women, is taboo to men. (30). Among the 

 Betchuanas of South Africa the men will not 

 let Women touch the cattle. (52). The Baganda 

 think that if a woman steps over a man's weapons 

 they will not aim straight or kill until they 

 have been purified. (21). Among many South 

 African tribes, if a wife steps over her husband's 

 assegais, they are considered useless from that 

 time and are given to the boys to play with. 

 This superstition rings many changes and is 

 current among the natives of all countries. 



The taboos which have thus been exemplified 

 and reviewed are based on the feeling that 

 woman is possessed of a demonic power, or 

 perhaps of a mana principle which may work 

 injury ; or else upon the fear that she may 

 contaminate man with her weakness. It is very 

 probable that many of these taboos originated 

 even as far back as the stage of society in which 

 the line of descent was traced through the 



