CH. XI CUSTOMS OF THE MINABAS8EBS 291 



The details of the marriage ceremonies all lead to the 

 same conclusion. The first part of the feast takes place, 

 and the marriage is consummated, not in the husband's 

 village, as it was in ' capture ' times, but in the house of the 

 wife's parents. The naming of the father after the first- 

 born child, and the fragmentary survival of the custom of 

 avoiding the parents-in-law, are relics probably of old 

 matriarchal times, and tell against the supposition that 

 there ever was a patriarchy with strict exogamy in N. 

 Celebes. 



How, then, are we to suppose that the changes were 

 brought about ? The evidence afforded us by the neighbour- 

 ing tribes of Bolang Mongondu, Sangir, Talaut, and Nanusa 

 seems to indicate that, soon after the law of exogamy broke 

 down, the custom came in that the wives of rajahs followed 

 their husbands ; that this was later extended to the nobles, 

 and from them it gradually spread to be the custom among 

 all the common people of the tribe. Perhaps we have hardly 

 sufficient evidence before us at present to prove that this 

 was the true story of its evolution, but it seems more 

 probable than the supposition that the Minahassers ever 

 passed through an epoch of strict patriarchy. Further 

 investigations of the marriage institutions of the people of 

 the northern peninsula of Celebes and of the outlying 

 islands might give to anthropologists a clue to the solution 

 of this interesting problem. 



The birth of a young Minahasser is made, as might be 

 expected, the occasion for general rejoicing among the 

 friends and relatives ' of his parents ; and a fosso is, of 

 course, given, when the name he is to bear is given him, his 

 horoscope cast, and every precaution taken to protect him 

 from the sakits or devils seeking to injure him. 



Two or three days after birth the first part of the fosso 

 is given ; this is called ' irojor si okki ' — the bringing down 



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