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Truku people abide
to the taboo of not marrying the people in the same family. During harvest,
they invite each other to join feasts. At a marriage ceremony, funeral, or
other occasions, they share the rights of enjoying the pork together. More
importantly, they shoulder the guilt together and take revenge together as
well.
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Sharing pork
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Sharing pork
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Traditionally, if the
Truku men had super head hunting and hunting skills (only those who had hunted
enemy’s heads and were skillful in hunting were allowed to wear the face
tattoo), they could be great husbands. Then, if they obeyed the norms and were
kindhearted, wealthy and strong, they could find good women as well. For Taroke
women, if they were skillful in weaving (only women who knew how to weave were
allowed to wear the face tattoo, and only those who had their faces tattooed
were regarded as beautiful), they could find good husbands in the future. Then,
if they were diligent and kindhearted, and could take good care of their
families, they would be regarded as good wives. If they were faithful to the
belief of ancestors’ spirits, they had straight rules for the relationships
between the two genders. They did not allow unmarried young people to have
pre-marital sexual behavior and the married people to indulge in adultery or
flirt with each other.
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Sharing pork
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Matrimony
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About marriage,
Truku people practiced the “Dual Families Relative Group.” For the close
relative groups, it included five generations of the father’s line and four
generations after the line of the great grandfather in law. Before marriage,
the close relative groups would send people to work at the bride’s home. When
the new couple got married, the close relative groups of the bridegroom would
welcome the bride together. Meanwhile, the close relative groups of the bride
would bid the bride farewell together. Of course, marriage was also a taboo for
the close relative groups. Likewise, the sons and daughter in these lines were not
allowed to get married. Otherwise, they would infuriate the ancestors’ spirit,
who would punish them by sending them disasters.
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