The Trobriand Islands (today officially known as the Kiriwina Islands) or Love Islands are a 450 km² archipelago of coral atolls off the eastern coast of New Guinea .
They are part of the nation of Papua New Guinea and are situated in Milne Bay Province . Most of the population of 12,000
indigenous inhabitants live on the main island of Kiriwina , which is also the location of the government
station, Losuia.
One interesting thing about this people is that children "enjoy
considerable sexual freedom and
independence ". At seven or eight years of age, Trobriand children
begin to play erotic games with each other and imitate adult seductive attitudes. About four or five years later, they begin to pursue sexual partners in earnest.
They change partners often. Women are just as assertive and dominant as men in pursuing or refusing a lover. This is not only allowed but encouraged.
The attitude of the grown-ups and even of the parents towards such
infantile indulgence is either that of complete indifference or of
complacency -- they find it natural, and do not see why they should scold or interfere. Usually they show a kind of tolerant and amused interest, and discuss the love affairs of their children with easy jocularity. It is possible to hear benevolent gossip as this among the parents: «So-and-so (a
little girl) has already had intercourse with So-and- so (a little boy).» And if such were the case, it
would be added that it was her first experience. An exchange of lovers, or some small love drama in the little world would be half-seriously, half- jokingly discussed. The infantile sexual act, or its substitute, is regarded as an innocent amusement . It is their play to "kaita" (to have intercourse). They give each other a coconut, a small piece of betelnut, a few beads or some fruits from the bush, and then
they go and hide, and "kaita".» But it is not considered proper for the
children to carry on their affairs in the house. It has always to be done in the bush.
The unregulated intercourse for these early years becomes systematised in adolescence into more or less stable intrigues, which later on develop into permanent liaisons. Connected with these latter stages of sexual life, there exists in the Trobriand Islands an extremely interesting institution, the bachelors' and unmarried girls' house, called by the natives "Bukumatula"; it is of considerable importance, as it is one of those arrangements sanctioned by custom which might appear on the surface to be a form of "group-marriage".
In the Trobriand Islands, there is no traditional marriage ceremony. And it is not unusual for a teenaged girl to sleep with many boys as this was a good practice to determine who would make a good husband .
A Trobriand couple wishing to marry, could also display their interest by not only sleeping together but spending time together and staying with each other for several weeks. The girl's
parents approve of the couple when a girl accepts a gift from a boy. After that, the girl moves to the
boy's house, eats her meals there and accompanies her husband
all day. Word subsequently spreads that the boy and girl are married.
They are part of the nation of Papua New Guinea and are situated in Milne Bay Province . Most of the population of 12,000
indigenous inhabitants live on the main island of Kiriwina , which is also the location of the government
station, Losuia.
One interesting thing about this people is that children "enjoy
considerable sexual freedom and
independence ". At seven or eight years of age, Trobriand children
begin to play erotic games with each other and imitate adult seductive attitudes. About four or five years later, they begin to pursue sexual partners in earnest.
They change partners often. Women are just as assertive and dominant as men in pursuing or refusing a lover. This is not only allowed but encouraged.
The attitude of the grown-ups and even of the parents towards such
infantile indulgence is either that of complete indifference or of
complacency -- they find it natural, and do not see why they should scold or interfere. Usually they show a kind of tolerant and amused interest, and discuss the love affairs of their children with easy jocularity. It is possible to hear benevolent gossip as this among the parents: «So-and-so (a
little girl) has already had intercourse with So-and- so (a little boy).» And if such were the case, it
would be added that it was her first experience. An exchange of lovers, or some small love drama in the little world would be half-seriously, half- jokingly discussed. The infantile sexual act, or its substitute, is regarded as an innocent amusement . It is their play to "kaita" (to have intercourse). They give each other a coconut, a small piece of betelnut, a few beads or some fruits from the bush, and then
they go and hide, and "kaita".» But it is not considered proper for the
children to carry on their affairs in the house. It has always to be done in the bush.
The unregulated intercourse for these early years becomes systematised in adolescence into more or less stable intrigues, which later on develop into permanent liaisons. Connected with these latter stages of sexual life, there exists in the Trobriand Islands an extremely interesting institution, the bachelors' and unmarried girls' house, called by the natives "Bukumatula"; it is of considerable importance, as it is one of those arrangements sanctioned by custom which might appear on the surface to be a form of "group-marriage".
In the Trobriand Islands, there is no traditional marriage ceremony. And it is not unusual for a teenaged girl to sleep with many boys as this was a good practice to determine who would make a good husband .
A Trobriand couple wishing to marry, could also display their interest by not only sleeping together but spending time together and staying with each other for several weeks. The girl's
parents approve of the couple when a girl accepts a gift from a boy. After that, the girl moves to the
boy's house, eats her meals there and accompanies her husband
all day. Word subsequently spreads that the boy and girl are married.
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