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Children have different routes to adulthood and family life. The boys are circumcised before puberty, but are only considered adults with marriage. This often means well kinto gtheir 20s as Himba men often marry girls mucgh younger than they are. Girls only become adult women not with marriage, but upon giving birth. The Hinba people are polygamous. On average Himba families have two wives. The Himba also practice early arranged marriages. Young Himba girls are married to male partners chosen by their fathers. This commonly occurs after the the onset of puberty, which means that some girls beginning at about age 10 years are married off. This practice of marrying young girls is now illegal, but enforcing such laws is a problem because the girls involved do not commonly complain. But this changing with education and the Himba themselves have begun tom questiion the entrenched traditiional practice. Now you would think tht women in polygamous societties would have less status and influemve than in monagampous socvietis. Here part of the equation has to be vthe age of the girls/women in the marriage. But this does not seem to be the case among the Himba. A unique aspects of the Himba family lige is their matriarchal society. Women seem to be a significant role in family decision-making. And the process and inheritance is passed down through the female line.
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