SOCIOLOGY
Family Organization
RELATIONS BEFORE MARRIAGE
Accurate information concerning the relations between the sexes before marriage can only be obtained from the oldest persons among the Pimas, as the moral atmosphere has been heavily clouded since the advent of the Americans and since the peril from the Apaches has ceased to exist. With all their surplus energies expended in warfare, the young men formerly lived exemplary lives as compared with the youths of the last generation, who would chase and even lasso any girl that they could catch. Nevertheless, the conditions were never as bad as among the Yumas of that period.[1] Before the Pimas came in contact with "civilization" chastity was the rule among the young women, who were taught by compelling precept, though ever witnessing the demoralizing example of free and easy divorce.
PUBERTY DANCE
A girl reached the age of puberty at 11 or 12, sometimes as early as 10. The acquirement by a young woman of the (to them) wholly mysterious functional characteristics of the age of puberty rendered her an object of concern and distrust to the elders. When the fact was discovered her mother selected some favorite woman friend, not a relative, in whose charge she placed the girl for a period of four days. During this time the preceptress taught her how to perform such household tasks as she may not already have learned; also the principles of industry, honesty, chastity, and the like. They cooked their meals and ate together apart from their families. When not otherwise engaged the girl occupied her time in making a basket which must be given as a present to the elder woman. She talked little; if she wished to scratch her head she used a stick—to use the fingers at this critical period would cause lice. She dared not blow the fire or her teeth would come out.
There was "danger" in the girl that must be breathed out by songs ere she, the members of her family, and the community as a whole were exempt from the hazard of the lightning stroke and other perils. Woe to the girl who concealed her condition, for the medicine-man's magic would enable him to discover the culprit and should accident befall he would ascribe it to her. As a matter of fact, however, some girls avoided the "coming-out" ceremonies as long as possible and when the parents were poor no dance was held. When the parents had a sufficient supply of feed on hand to entertain with becoming hospitality they invited friends and neighbors to participate
- ↑ Compare Rusling, The Great West and the Pacific Coast, 361.
