88 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BuU. 188 



MABBIAGE 



A generation ago Shonto men normally married at about 17, and 

 women about 14 (cf. Reichard, 1928, pp. 139-141; Leighton and 

 Kluckhohn, 1948, pp. 78-79). At the present time, as a result of 

 changing educational and economic conditions, the average ages for 

 both sexes are at least 3 years higher. Ages at marriage for eight 

 Shonto couples married since 1953 were 23 : 18, 23 : 18, 21 : 18, 20 : 21, 

 20 : 19, 20 : 17, 20 : 17, and 18 : 15. The community has over 15 un- 

 married men and 5 unmarried women between the ages of 20 and 25. 



Marriage at Shonto remains unaffected by tribal law or American 

 sanctions regarding minimum age and number of spouses. The simple 

 Navaho wedding ceremony (see Eeichard, 1928, pp. 139-141 ; Leighton 

 and Kluckholm, 1948, pp. 81-82) is performed for all marriages, and 

 suffices for most couples. Not more than a dozen have obtained legal 

 marriage certificates from the Tuba City court. In 1955 one Shonto 

 man was married (at Inscription House) with the Shonto missionary 

 in attendance, and underwent the Christian service in addition to the 

 regular Navaho ritual. No other Shonto Navahos have had the 

 Christian service. 



Divorce, like marriage, is accomplished a<;cording to simple tradi- 

 tion (see Leighton and Kluckhohn, 1948, pp. 83-86) and without re- 

 course to tribal law. Only one woman is known to have a court-order 

 divorce. However, if a woman with children wishes to apply for 

 Aid to Dependent Children benefits from the State department of 

 public welfare, she must file non-support charges against her former 

 husband in the Tuba City court. Such indictment is, in practice, no 

 more than a matter of form ; there is no record of the court's attempt- 

 ing to force a former husband to provide support. 



EMPLOYMENT 



Shonto men become eligible for railroad employment at age 21, and 

 thereby achieve economic adulthood. For the next 20 years at least, 

 their principal economic status is as wage earners ; they are expected 

 to provide some cash support to the residence group (see "Economic 

 Structure and Function," pp. 97-109) every year. Once a seniority 

 rating is achieved, any man can count on a seasonal railroad job every 

 year until he is 50. Very few men answer the call every year, 

 especially in later life, but all average at least 3 years out of 4. 



Half a dozen Shonto men have managed to secure permanent Indian 

 Bureau or off -reservation jobs upon reaching 21. In the past 10 

 years only one man has passed his 21st birthday without applying for 

 and securing either a permanent or a railroad job. 



