The Yanomami people establish marriages at early ages. Through their daughters, marriage exchanges occur where a man promises a young woman, usually around the age of ten, marriage. Theses marriage exchanges are an important tool for tribes men to establish alliances with one another. Fathers easily give up their daughters at such an early age to marriage because the Yanomami believe that women should get married and have children as quickly as possible. Due to their short life span and unattended prenatal health, Yanomami women spend most of their lives having children and do not live past twenty-five.Yanomami males tend to have many wives and children due to their polygamist lifestyle and are respected more than women because of their influence in political issues in the community.
Yanomami people do not have wedding ceremonies, instead, once the village people find out about a marriage exchange between two men, the daughter of one man leaves her home to move in with her spouse. While at her new home, the married woman is now expected to complete the same chores she once did with her mother, but now by herself. Until the woman has a daughter of her own, she must tend to the house and prepare a meal for when her husband returns home.
"Yanomamo Wedding and Marriage Traditions." http://ginamicheli.tripod.com/ (accessed November 8, 2012).
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