Through out her field diary* Alice Fletcher discovers the cultural and societal differences between her background and the Native Americans. Some of the most interesting instances in her writing reveal the relationship between men and women.
On October 5, 1881 Fletcher describes an instance of adultery, "[the] woman left her husband and went off to Spotted Tail. The husband appealed to the council and the council decided the woman must return and Spotted Tail give four horses to the husband who was poor." It was really that simple! This probably shocked spinster Alice Fletcher since adultery was still looked down upon and uncommon in the 1800's.
This issue got me thinking about affairs and divorce statistics in the US today. According to "Divorce Guide" the divorce rate has been consistently 50% for most first marriages. 50%! By the time college rolled around I remember being one of the few kids who had parents that were still together, go mom and dad! Should lasting relationships be in the minority or is something wrong? Today you can do everything you need on "Divorce Guide", with a simple click of the mouse you can fill out divorce papers online, get them faxed to you in 50 seconds or if you are more conventional FedEx can deliver them in two business days.
What then has become of our society? Are we that unhappy or are we simply bored? In 1881 the Native Americans handled marriage pretty similarly: something goes wrong, you go to court and there is a settlement. In their case it just happens to be live stock. The big difference however is that they don't make a big deal out of it, Spotted Tail wasn't challenged to a duel and the woman got back together with her husband. Their attitude is much less high strung, life happens, people will always be people. Maybe we should take something out of Spotted Tails affair: forgiveness and acceptance.
*(http://www.nmnh.si.edu/naa/fletcher/fletcher.htm)
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