Lakota=>Siouan polyandry inquiry

Mary C Marino mary.marino at USASK.CA
Fri Sep 23 03:27:40 UTC 2011


Hello Mark

I have never heard of this before regarding either the Lakota or the 
Dakota, and I think this is a questionable use of the term 'polyandry'.  
It sounds more like an expedient to address infertility in a marriage 
otherwise satisfactory to the husband and wife.  Does Walker further 
describe this concept of the 'buried man'?  Does he give a Lakota 
expression?

Mary


On 22/09/2011 8:13 AM, Mark J Awakuni-Swetland wrote:
> Aloha All,
> My Anthropology Department Chair Ray Hames brought me a copy of James 
> Walker's LAKOTA SOCIETY with an inquiry.
>
> He and a student are preparing a journal article describing polyandry 
> (a woman having more than one husband).
>
> They are finding accounts of this practice in groups outside of the 
> regularly cited groups known to use this strategy.
>
> In the Walker case, there is no reference or citation as to the source 
> of his statement regarding polyandry among the Lakota.
>
> I have included the paragraph that mentions polyandry from page 55 of 
> Walker's book for your reference.
>
> Ray Hames also inquired as to the meaning of the second husband being 
> considered "buried"
>
> Does anyone know of this practice among the Lakota or other Siouan 
> groups?
>
> I am not aware of it among the Omaha.
>
> I would presume that if such a practice existed there would be a term 
> for that names this arrangement, the second husband, terms of 
> relations, etc.
>
> Thanks
> Mark
>
>
>
>
> Mark Awakuni-Swetland, Ph.D.
> Associate Professor of Anthropology & Ethnic Studies
> Native American Studies Program Liaison
> University of Nebraska
> Department of Anthropology
> 841 Oldfather Hall
> Lincoln, NE 68588-0368
>
> http://omahalanguage.unl.edu <http://omahalanguage.unl.edu/>
> http://omahaponca.unl.edu <http://omahaponca.unl.edu/>
> Phone 402-472-3455
> FAX: 402-472-9642 

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