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TARAHUMARA (Mexico)
After the age of seven or eight, girls no
longer can play freely with boys, and become very shy for the opposite sex;
parents live in fear of sexual assault upon their daughters (Fried,
[1951]:p148-9, 168)[1]. Fried (1969:p868-9)[2] states that girl’s modesty begins
at age 8. Male sexual intercourse begins with full tesgüinada participation.
“Girls are taught to
be modest in their dress and never expose such body parts as legs, sexual
organs, or breasts. Three informants stated that even in marriage the women
are still careful about exposing themselves before their husbands. During
sexual intercourse wives do not remove their clothes. After the age of seven
or eight, girls no longer can play freely with boys. This is the age at which
the work assignments of girls and boys become differentiated, the girls now
spending their time aiding their mothers, and the boys assisting their
fathers. It is assumed that children of this age are able to care for
themselves without much supervision. Children range far from home with the
herds, but young girls, unlike boys, may not go far from the house if they
are unaccompanied. Parents fear that young girls will be sexually assaulted
if they are alone, and they communicate this fear to their daughters. It is
at this age that girls become very shy of men and boys. This attitude of
shyness continues as an outstanding characteristic of the female aspect when
she is in the company of a male who is not a close relative. She will never
look directly into the eyes of a man, but will gaze down or gaze fixedly at
some point in space with one hand against her cheek. It is during the tesguinada that this restrained reserve breaks down under
the influence of corn beer, and the woman may become the initiator of the sex
act. She tosses pebbles at a man to attract his attention, then
walks off to some secluded spot where they can meet. All adult informants
(unfortunately they were all males) believed that mothers do not instruct
their daughters in matters of sex. They are apparently not even warned of the
onset of menstruation, for it is said that girls then become terrified. This
first menstruation is not recognized by ceremonial observances. There are no
menstrual taboos placed upon women. Active sexual participation is begun with
tesguinada attendance. There, from both observation
and participation, or at least vicariously through conversation, the young
learn of sexual matters. Children have ample opportunity to observe the behavior of adults during tesguinadas
held in their houses. Girls at the Indian school of Sisoguichic stated
that mothers taught them to be `ashamed' in the presence of men, not to
engage in conversation with them, and not to go off with them alone into the
mountains or secluded places. Masturbation by boys was acknowledged by all informants.
No particular sentiment against this practice was voiced. There is a joking
attitude taken toward it and it is not considered harmful” ([1951:p148-50]).
Janssen,
D. F., Growing Up Sexually. VolumeI. World Reference Atlas. 0.2 ed. 2004. Berlin:
Magnus Hirschfeld Archive for Sexology
Last
revised: Sept 2004
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