ABSTRACT
The high Incidence of nonmarrlage in Chumlk, as the preceding chapters have ilustrated, is to some extent the result of conscious decisions, but also an unintended consequence of the socioeconomic system. Just as there are customs in Hindu society (polygyny, remarriage of widowers and permanent celibacy of widows, preferential treatment of male children resulting in skewed sex ratios) which make it possible for practically every female to marry, traditional aspects of Tibetan and Chumikwa social structure decrease the feasibility of universal marriage of women. Several of these: fraternal polyandry, primogeniture and the underlying ideal of nonpartitlon were discussed in chapter 4. The present chapter will describe the Chumikwa marriage system in more detail and will explore the concepts, values and practices which govern marriage and create a context for nonmarrlage.
