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Remarriage of Widows
A Lakher widow (nonghmei) could remarry immediately after the husband's
death. Generally, a brother, younger or elder, could marry his widowed
sister-in-law.
This custom ensured security to the widow, the children and
the family property. But a widow could remarry outside the family
also. A widow, till she remarried, would stay in the late husband's house.
Divorce
Divorce was very simple - one could divorce the spouse at will. But there
were certain customary procedures to follow. The main issues concerned
refund or payment of the unpaid bride price. If a man divorced his wife (lapinongma),
her relations could get back all the bride prices they had received. If a
woman divorced her husband (sawng pakua), the entire bride price would have to
be returned to the husband. If she had children, she was entitled to
retain angkia portion of the bride price; if she preferred to keep the angkia,
the children would go to the husband. If, however, she did not claim the angkia, the children would go to her brother.
There could be divorce in certain extraordinary situations. If the husband
was impotent, the wife could divorce him after allowing a period of one year
during which he could propitiate gods by various sacrifices to gain
potency. In case of such a divorce, the bride price could be retained by
all the receiving parties. There could be divorce on account of
madness. If the wife was mad, the husband would offer sacrifices during a
period of one year for her recovery and if it failed, she could be returned to
her brothers who would have to take her back and they would retain the bride
price. If the husband was mad, a brother of the husband would offer to
marry the woman, but she could refuse such a marriage. She could go back
to her brothers who would also retain the bride price. There could be
divorce on grand of adultery of the wife, which was treated as very disgraceful
for the husband. The husband would turn out the adulterous wife and would
get back the bride price from everyone to whom it was paid. The male
partner of the woman in adultery would be fined Rs. 60/- as compensation to the
offended husband who with this amount would be supposed to purchase a cloth to
cover his shame in the other word after death. On the other hand, a person
winning the favour of another man's wife would be treated as a hero. On
his death his head would be adorned with the white tail-feather of a cock which
would be put on the memorial past after his burial. His spirit would be so
adorned for the inmates of the other world to appreciate his valour.
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