136 THE ACOMA INDIANS [eth. ank. 47 



he lives, and children by her, too. Quite often, after a girl becomes 

 a mother she marries, very frequently the father of the child (if 

 knowTi). Among the immarried, both boys and girls, there is a great 

 deal of sexual intercoui'se. But, it is said, a woman usually remains 

 faithful to her husband after marriage. 



Neither illegitimacy nor extraconjugal sexiial relationsliips are con- 

 sidered sins or even inmioral. That boys and girls will exercise sexual 

 functions before marriage is taken for granted. The "unmarried 

 mother" is not looked upon with pity or with condemnation. Her 

 status is practically equivalent to that of a widow with a child. 

 Marrying a girl with an illegitimate child involves an economic con- 

 sideration sometimes, but not a moral one; some men entertain a dis- 

 inclination to support the child of another man. But this does not 

 figure strongly m the pueblos, where the husbands very frequently go 

 to live with their wives in then- houses, and where the women con- 

 tribute so much to the support of the families. In case a woman 

 with children never marries, she does not become destitute by any 

 means. She continues to Uve with her mother (or perhaps sister) 

 and contributes much to the support of her children tlirough her 

 labors in the garden and in pottery making. 



Men and women select their own mates, as a ride. Of course 

 parents sometimes voice their wishes, but the children are free to dis- 

 regard them if they choose. As is the case with matches among 

 whites, it is very difficidt sometimes to detcrmme which party makes 

 the first advances, the boy or the giii. But at Acoma, after the couple 

 have become quite friendly (or sexually intimate) the giii is as likely 

 to urge marriage as the boy.^* 



Regardmg marriage with non- Acoma persons, I received the 

 impression quite decidedly that marriage outside the pueblo is not to 

 be encouraged, even with other pueblos, and mai-riage with whites or 

 Mexicans is disapproved of. 



There is no fixed custom (nowadays, at least) rcgulatmg the resi- 

 dence of wife and husband after mariiage. The husband may go to 

 live at the house of his wife, or vice versa. Or a new house may be 

 built. 



Nearly every family has at least one child. Practically all adults 

 seem to be veiy fond of children, especially very smaU children. 

 Very often men, especially old men, take care of cliildren when they 

 are about the house or village. 



38 1 knew one young man who used to have sexual intercourse with a girl. Slie wanted him to marry her, 

 and asted him to do so. He did not wish to marry her. One night the girl's father caught them in bed 

 together. He agreed to cause no trouble when the young man consented to marry the daughter. But 

 before morning, the young man slipped out of the house, packed his grip and left the village. The girl's 

 father went to the governor and wanted to collect $250 damages from the boy. But this could not be 

 assessed in his absence. Within sis months the girl married someone else, the boy relurned, and no trouble 

 followed. 



