Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site reed.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!tektronix!reed!thoma
From: thoma@reed.UUCP (Ann Muir Thomas)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: Sex is Funny to Eskimos (Comments on Native American Sexual Attitudes)
Message-ID: <2516@reed.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 16-Feb-86 16:54:27 EST
Article-I.D.: reed.2516
Posted: Sun Feb 16 16:54:27 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 18-Feb-86 03:24:50 EST
References: <548@hounx.UUCP> <15600029@uiucdcsb> <406@3comvax.UUCP> <9333@ritcv.UUCP>
Reply-To: thoma@reed.UUCP (Ann Muir Thomas)
Organization: Reed College, Portland, Oregon
Lines: 23


Someone asked if Native Americans have more relaxed sexual attitudes.
I recently read an article that compared Zunis, Mormons and WASPs living
and farming in the same part of Texas.  Among other interesting findings,
the Zunis seemed to expect pre-marital trysts, and one young man summarized
the nature of these relationships as follows: "When a girl asks you to
her house, you go and sleep with her, and leave before morning the
first few times.  Then one time you stay until morning, and then you're
married."  This is quite different from the Mormons, who expect complete
chastity until marriage in the late teens, or the WASPs, who realize
that their sons will "sow a few wild oats," while their daughters stay
chaste until marriage.  All of these people were dirt farmers, and relatively
impoverished.           

This research was done in the mid-50s, so it is somewhat dated.  Hopefully
some anthropologist will go back to see what changes have occurred among
these people.  The article is reprinted in "Culture and Personality", edited
by Robert Levine.

Ann Muir Thomas
...tektronix!reed!thoma

"what we really want is the stuff of our wildest dreams..." --Sheila E.