Historical Cherokee marriage
It is well known in Cherokee culture that marriages were just as much between the clans, as between the individuals. Marriage in your own clan, as well as your father's mother's clan, were forbidden (by penalty of death) as members of clan those were considered as close as a brother/sister (or first degree relatives) and, would be considered incestuous. Some believe that the Cherokee had knowledge, of genetics and hereditary diseases/disorders, far beyond what was considered common in those times.
When a man wished to court a woman (age of consent typically being past puberty or about 15 for girls, 17 for boys), he would bring an offering of deer meat to the her home (clan) as a symbol of his ability to care for her. It was only permitted to court one woman at a time, though there are examples of polygamist marriage and same sex co-habitation in the ancient culture. Marriages were carefully negotiated and the courtship required the approval of both of the clans, by a Clan Grandmother.
*Interesting note: In cases of polygamy, you often see a husband marry a sister, niece, or cousin of his wife, typically related on his wife's mothers side. Since the man went to live with his wife's clan, it was easier (geographically) to marry within the clan then to try to marry outside the clan. This was not always the case though, especially in larger towns with several different clans in close capacity.
Once a couple had married, they lived with the wife's clan, in their own home nearby or all together with the wife's clan in one home (or village, depending on size). Since the children of a Cherokee marriage, belonged to the mother's clan, her male relatives (such as her brothers, uncles, and older cousins) were responsible for the cultural and social development of any male children such as teaching them to hunt and fish, and the other female relatives (such as her sister's, aunts, and grandmothers) were responsible for the cultural and social development of any female children such as teaching them to cook, tend the house, tan skins, etc.
The Cherokees wished to keep teachers and parents separate.
Because of the equality of the Cherokee society (different from the prevailing European society of the time), the early Europeans were often confused by the apparent inability of Cherokee man to make quick decisions in counsel and trade meetings. It was later learned that the men were required to return home and discuss matters with the Clan Grandmother(s) and obtain their approval.
If a woman's husband failed to provide, was unfaithful, or disgraced her clan, she could divorce him by placing his belongings (such as his hunting gear and tools) outside the opening of their dwelling, but was not allowed to divorce him for frivolous reasons and typically required clan approval. The man, being divorced, was expected to go back to live with his clan and may not have been able to marry again (depending on the reason for divorce and rather a clan would deem him acceptable). In a traditional Cherokee household, the mother owned the dwelling, furnishings, and any children of such a union therefore they would continue to live with their mother and her clan.
Cherokee women were also permitted to marry European traders, surveyors, soldiers, or even freedman. It was unusual, but not rare, to see a Cherokee man marry a white women as, unless she was adopted as a citizen, their children were not considered Cherokee. They were often adopted into the tribe and treated as full citizens (barring becoming Chief). Their children were also accepted as full Cherokee citizens, and treated as such, until later on when blood quantum was adopted.
When a man wished to court a woman (age of consent typically being past puberty or about 15 for girls, 17 for boys), he would bring an offering of deer meat to the her home (clan) as a symbol of his ability to care for her. It was only permitted to court one woman at a time, though there are examples of polygamist marriage and same sex co-habitation in the ancient culture. Marriages were carefully negotiated and the courtship required the approval of both of the clans, by a Clan Grandmother.
*Interesting note: In cases of polygamy, you often see a husband marry a sister, niece, or cousin of his wife, typically related on his wife's mothers side. Since the man went to live with his wife's clan, it was easier (geographically) to marry within the clan then to try to marry outside the clan. This was not always the case though, especially in larger towns with several different clans in close capacity.
Once a couple had married, they lived with the wife's clan, in their own home nearby or all together with the wife's clan in one home (or village, depending on size). Since the children of a Cherokee marriage, belonged to the mother's clan, her male relatives (such as her brothers, uncles, and older cousins) were responsible for the cultural and social development of any male children such as teaching them to hunt and fish, and the other female relatives (such as her sister's, aunts, and grandmothers) were responsible for the cultural and social development of any female children such as teaching them to cook, tend the house, tan skins, etc.
The Cherokees wished to keep teachers and parents separate.
Because of the equality of the Cherokee society (different from the prevailing European society of the time), the early Europeans were often confused by the apparent inability of Cherokee man to make quick decisions in counsel and trade meetings. It was later learned that the men were required to return home and discuss matters with the Clan Grandmother(s) and obtain their approval.
If a woman's husband failed to provide, was unfaithful, or disgraced her clan, she could divorce him by placing his belongings (such as his hunting gear and tools) outside the opening of their dwelling, but was not allowed to divorce him for frivolous reasons and typically required clan approval. The man, being divorced, was expected to go back to live with his clan and may not have been able to marry again (depending on the reason for divorce and rather a clan would deem him acceptable). In a traditional Cherokee household, the mother owned the dwelling, furnishings, and any children of such a union therefore they would continue to live with their mother and her clan.
Cherokee women were also permitted to marry European traders, surveyors, soldiers, or even freedman. It was unusual, but not rare, to see a Cherokee man marry a white women as, unless she was adopted as a citizen, their children were not considered Cherokee. They were often adopted into the tribe and treated as full citizens (barring becoming Chief). Their children were also accepted as full Cherokee citizens, and treated as such, until later on when blood quantum was adopted.
