The Tagbanua: Marriage Traditions




Did you know that in recent years the Tagbanua adhere to the rule of Matrilocality? It occurs when the newly-weds build their house in the maternal residential area of the village (the area of matrilocality is the natal village of the woman). It also means that if the parents of the girl should move to another village, the sons-in-law and their elementary families should follow. The only rationale given for matrilocal residence is that it strengthens the bilateral family; it would add an economically productive man and woman to the local kinship group of the girl's parents.
Matrilocal residence also placed the girl's parents in an effective position for exercising primary authority. Forced separation is one technique used by the girl's parents to enforce their control over their sons-in-law.
Polygyny (in which a man has more than one wife) is also restricted by the custom of matrilocal residence as it becomes necessary for men to obtain wives from a single village.
Robert B. Fox, Tagbanuwa Religion and Society, National Museum, Manila, Philippines 1982

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