THAN ONE WIFE (POLYGYNY)*
Doç. Dr. FATMA BAŞARAN
As is known, family in modern societies is composed of husband and wife, and unmarried children; and it is monogamous. That is to say it is based on the principle of having a single spouse. Turkey has accepted this family arrangement as legal with Civil Law in 1926. Despide the law, the cases of marriage with more than one wife (polygyny) is observed in our research area. We thougth it useful to investigate to what degree a change has taken place in that situation, believing that attitudes of the individuals living in the region towards polygyny is also a psycholo gical factor together with the social conditions that let it continue.
That there were women who left their homes because of KUMA-the second wife brougt into KUMA-the house without divorcing KUMA-the first-among those women who came to the city from villages suggested that such a change was actually in occurance.
Three such women worked in the author's dwelling, thus suppl ying her with the first-hand information on that subject. Attention is given to this question in the questionaires as well as in the free inter views and observations made for that purpose.
According to the answers received in Büyük Kadıköy (Table: I) 97.1 % of the subjects in the sample did not approve of the second mar riage even if the husband can afford it. Only two men said that they think it is proper. One of them was above and the other was below 45 years of age (Table: 2, 3) one had no education whatsoever, while the
1 0 4 FATMA BAŞARAN Table : I
According to you, is it proper for a man to marry for a second time (keeping also his first wife) if he can afford it?1
Opinions Proper Not proper Don't Know Total Woman Number
—
38—
38 %—
100—
100 Man Number 2 31—
33 % 6 . 1 93.9—
100 Total Number 2 69—
71 % 2.9 97.1—
100 Büyük Kadıköy1 Numbers are based on the polls carried out during the summer of 1963. Table : 2
According to you, if he is in a position to afford it, is it allright for a man to marry a second wife keeping also his first?1
Opinions Proper Not proper Don't know Total Below 45 years Number 1 49
—
50 % 2 98—
100 Above 45 years Number 1 20—
21 % 4 . 8 95.2—
100 Büyük Kadıköy1 Numbers are based on the polls carried out during the summer of 1963. Table : 3
To your opinion, is it proper for a man to marry a second wife if he can afford it?1 (With Respect to Education)
Opinions Proper Not proper No idea Total None Number 1 44
—
45 Primary School % 2.3 97.7—
100 Number 1 17—
18 Secondary % 5.6 94.4—
100 Number—
8 8 School %—
100 100 Büyük Kadıköyother had finished the elemantary school. Among those who had high school education, none approved of the second marriage. Especially women displayed a violent opposition. As a matter of fact, a very unusual event took place in Büyük Kadıköy a few years ago.
Mrs. Z. reported to the gendarme - military police in rural areas-her husband when he was bringing the bride to the village. As a result, bride was sent back; the groom could not take it anymore and fainted. The poem made and recited by Ş. for the occasion is quite interesting. But in the end Zilha gave her consent and accepted the bride as a KUMA.
In the village , at present, there are 5 homes with 2 wives. In 1962, the author was personally there, B. Ş.'s wife complained to her about the fact t h a t her husband about to bring home a KUMA. However, it did not happen; later the issue was closed when the girl was married to someone else in 1963.
In short, the marrying of a well-to-do man for a second time is not regarded proper, but it usually creates problems. However, when asked, "If a man does not have a son, is it proper for him to marry a second wife ?" generally affirmative answers are . received. 80. 4 % of the subjects regarded such a marrige proper; 14 % did not. 5,6 % did not have a clear-cut idea about the subject. Surprisingly men who do not approve of the second marriage are proportionately more than women (Table: 4).
Table : 4
Would you find it proper, if a man wants to marry again because, although he has a daughter or daughters, he has no sons ?1
(With Respect to Sex and General Situation) Opinions Proper Not proper Indifferent Woman Number 36 2 — % 97.3 2.7 — Man Number 21 8 — % 63.7 24.2 — Total Number 57 10 — % 80.4 14 —
106 FATMA BAŞARAN
As far as the general results are concerned, the age factor does not affect the opinions of those who do not approve of the second marriage (Table: 5).
Table : 5
According to you, is it proper for a man to marry again because, although he may have daughters, he has no sons?1
(With Respect to Age) Opinions Proper Not proper Indifferent Total Below 45 years Number 39 7 4 50 % 78 14 8 100 above 45 years Number 18 3 — 21 % 85.8 14.2 — 100 Büyük Kadıköy
1. Numbers are based on the polls caried out during the summer of 1963.
When the education factor is in question however, 91.1 % of those who are not educated, 72.1 % of those who had primary, and 37.5 % of those whj had secondary school education expressed that they would consent to the second marriage of a father without a son (Table: 6).
Table : 6
Would you say it is proper for a man to marry again if he has no sons although he may have doughters?1
(With Respect to Education) Opnions Proper Not proper Indifferent Total None Number 41 3 1 45 % 91.1 6.7 2.2 100 Primary School Number 13 4 1 18 % 72.1 22.2 5.7 100 Secondary School Number 3 3 2. 8 % 37.5 37.5 25 100 Büyük Kadıköy
The reason for this is the fact that it is the male child who continues
the family. In general, if there is no male child, the subjects say "the
hearth -fireplace is the popular symbol of family-is extinguished. His
marrying again is a must." One of them added, " I t is necessary. If it
were not. would I let her (the second wife ) share my happiness ?"
Ne-vertheless achange has started (Table : 4, 5) ) In this change, the
educa-ted and men are seen to be pioneering (Table: 4,6).
Now the situation in Küçük Akören: there the majority thinks
it is all right if a well-to-do man marries for a second time (Table:7).
T a b l e : 7
To y o u r opinion, is it p r o p e r for a m a n to m a r r y a second wife if h i s financial position is favorable? 1
(According to Sex a n d General Situation)
Opinions Proper Not proper No idea Total Woman Number 8 12
—
20 % 50.0 60.0—
100 Man Number 18 5—
23 % 78.0 22.0—
100 Total Number 26 17—
34 % 60.4 39.6—
100 K ü ç ü k Akören1 N u m b e r s a r e based on t h e polls carried out during t h e summer of 1963.
As seen from the table, 60.4%look at it as proper while 39.6%holds
the conviction t h a t it is not. Here, that the sex difference influences
the opinions is noticable: 78 % of the men said yes, 22 % said no to this
act. Of the women however, 40 % approved and 60 % did not. Their age
had almost no effect on their opinions (Table : 7, 8).
Also in Küçük Akören, if the man has no male children, it is thought
more of necessity t h a t he should get another wife. According to the
108 FATMA BAŞARAN
proper, those who said it is not were only two. One of them was quite aged, and the other was young. But both were women (Table: 9, 10).
Table : 8
To your opinion, is it proper for a man to marry a second wife if his financial positon is favorable?1
(According to Age) Opinions Proper Not proper No idea Total Below 45 years Number 14 9 — 23 % 60.8 39.2 — 100 above 45 years Number 12 8 — 20 % 60.0 40.0 — 100 Küçük Akören
(1) Numbers are based on the polls carried out during the summer of 1963.
Table : 9
To your opinion, is it proper for a man to marry again if he has no sons although he may have doughters?'
(According to Sex and General Situation) Opinions Proper Not proper No idea Total Woman Number 18 2 — 20 % 90.0 10 — 100 Man Number 23 — — 23 % 100 — — 100 Total Number 41 2 — 43 % 95.3 4.7 — 100 Küçük Akören
(1) Numbers are based on the polls carried out during the summer of 1963.
Let us hear the following as it is narrated by the author: "We were talking again about that subject one night at the teacher's house. H. Z. said 'If the Kurd has money, he either kills or marries;
The crux of the matter is this'. In reality this idiom is much heard. So I said to the MUHTAR's son who also had a second wife-muhtar is the administrative headman of the village- and to the watchman "you did not say so, before." The watchman said "Yeah, that is so, I must have forgotten. It is true." Only, because marrying is hard and başlık prices are very high in this region -başlık is the money paid to the father of the bride by the groom or his father- planning or actualizing the mar riage may not be possible even if the person is willing himself.
Tablo : 10
To your opinion, is it proper for a m a n to m a r r y again if he has no sons Although he m a y have doughters?1
(According to Age) Opinions Proper Not proper No Idea Total Below 45 yaras Number 22 1 — 23 % 95.6 4.4 — 100 Above 45 years Number 19 1 — 20 % 95.0 5.0 — 100 K ü ç ü k Akören
1 N u m b e r s are based on t h e polls carried out during t h e summer of 1963.
For instance, the wife of I. Y. sadly revealed how her husband was trying to get a second wife for some years, but without success. The hus band was saying," What can be done? Business is not going well; I can not gather together the necessary sum, no matter how hard I t r y . " Women in general heartily dislike the idea of a KUMA in their home. But they have no means whatsoever to fight against it.
The woman cannot get a divorce; the Moslem religious law does not allow her to do it. Even if she leaves for her father's home in anger, she comes back, and has no alternative but to accept the situation.
110 FATMA BAŞARAN
wife. The girls said that they see no reason why they should not. In general, the late coming woman is quite content. For, the fact that the man chooses her while he does have another wife shows that she is pre ferred. Actually, according to the village ethical standard, going as a KUMA is never a thing to be ashamed about, either.
Nonetheless, the change in social conditions has alrady started to affect the attitudes towards this topic. In this change, women lead the the way.
