White] THE PUEBLO OF SIA, NEW MEXICO 209 
came pregnant. She divulged the name of the man involved and her 
father insisted that they be married and they were. There are in- 
stances of deep love and frustration, too. A close friend (not an 
informant) told me that when he was a young man he was much in 
love with a girl and she loved him dearly. But the girl’s mother had 
heard, and believed, that the man was having intimate relations with 
another woman and refused her daughter permission to marry him. 
The girl so desired to marry him that she proposed that they run 
~ away together. But the man declined to do this. Eventually each 
married another, but they continued to cherish their love for each 
other. 
When a young man and a girl decide they wish to marry they must 
first seek their parents’ permission. Older people, including wid- 
owers and widows, also must obtain the permission of their parents, 
if living, and of other close relatives, including their children if they 
have any. If the parents approve of the match the couple must then 
ask their godparents for their approval. If all the parents approve, 
a meeting of the close relatives of both parties will be held, at which 
time the proposed marriage will be discussed; each group of relatives 
selects one of their number to speak for them. It may very well be 
that all the relatives, and indeed the entire pueblo, may be aware of 
the course of events before the meeting of relatives takes place. But 
this meeting is the formal way of dealing with the situation. Unani- 
mous approval by the relatives constitutes marriage, and the couple 
leave the meeting as man and wife. No gifts are given or exchanged. 
Whatever may have been the custom in former-times, the tendency 
in recent years is for the newly married couple to live in a house of 
their own if they can. If this is not possible, they may live in the 
household of the parents of either bride or groom or even in the home 
of some other relative. 
Shortly after marriage the people of the pueblo are invited to the 
home of the newly married couple to eat. 
The ‘Indian marriage” may be followed by a Catholic wedding in 
the church when the priest comes to the pueblo on a regular visit, 
such as at Christmas or on the day of the patron saint, August 15. 
The couple are supposed to tell the priest well in advance so that he 
can announce the event. He also asks if there is anyone who has any 
reason for opposing the marriage and requests any such person to 
come to him privately and divulge the reason. ‘The priest usually 
charges $5 for performing the ceremony,” an informant told me in 
1957, “but if they are too closely related, or if there is some other 
objection, he will charge more, even as much as $25 sometimes.” 
Since World War II a few couples at Sia and at other, nearby 
pueblos have been married by a justice of the peace instead of by 
