Historical Look of Marriage and Family Life for the Mono Indians

Marriage and Family

Parents arranged marriages for their children that were often within the clan, but marriage between relatives was prohibited.  After the couple was married, the man lived with the woman’s family until the birth of the first child when they would move into the husband’s village.  Families were often extended, including paternal grandparents, and occasionally other relatives.  However, a taboo prohibited communication between same sex in-laws.  The number of children was limited to maintain a balance with resources; women used certain plants for birth control. Prenatal taboos in which the parents would abstain from meat, salt and hard food to protect the baby’s health were sometimes practiced.  The restriction could continue for both parents after the baby was born, or the mother might continue with the diet for three months while the father began a normal diet after the birth.  Between 10 and 30 days after birth, the family gathered for the naming ceremony.  The paternal grandmother passed the baby through the hoop in its baby basket, and gave the baby its name.

Information used with permission 

http://californiabaskets.com/pages/monohome.html