SFist: Greenfield Man Accused of Selling Daughter for Cash, Beer, Meat

eightdeer

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:15:34 -0800

The man in question is a Native American/Amerindian/Indigenous from the Triqui Tribe in Oaxaca, Mexico. He is not "Mexican" per se, but ethnically Native American and has a different cultural system than your common mestizo Mexican. The news distorted their cultural practice of marriages, in this case the DOWRY system!!!!!

megang

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:46:25 -0800

Awesome! CNN says it was six cases of meat and that the food and beverage was for the wedding. Okay, now that makes sense.

porkbun

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:59:59 -0800

Even if buying a 14-year-old wife is all the rage in Salinas, I think I'd rather take that cash, beer, and meat and throw a party for 18-year-old girls in SF.

icbalaam

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:53:18 -0800

According to the news, the deal specifically involved: 100 cases of Corona 50 cases of Modelo 6 bottles of wine 50 cases of soft drinks 50 cases of Gatorade Going by averages that's over $4000 worth of beverages including CRV. No word on what cuts of meat.

soccerbee

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:41:08 -0800

Actually, there is the concept of "bride price", which has been/is practiced in some parts of the world. In that context, the groom's family pays the bride's family some amount. http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/arts/anthropology/tutor/marriage/bride_wealth.html My relatives in Nigeria still do this, but in my (admittedly limited) experience, it's often a somewhat token offering that is symbolic and more about maintaining tradition than compensating anyone for anything. Not that this situation should be considered to fall under this characterization at all (or that I'm a fan of the idea of a "bride price" as originally conceived).

megang

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:33:18 -0800

That makes three of us.

jimH

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:15:44 -0800

"but she's under California's legal age of consent and can't legally marry." Disagree with that. A valid marriage might be a defense to any statutory rape charge, depending.

EllyMental

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:14:30 -0800

There's Google street views of Greenfield. Man, that place looks depressing.

mattymatt

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:12:56 -0800

This is an outrage! I call for a Prop-8-style constitutional ban on child marriages. Or is statutory rape not as bad as gay marriage? They're so similar.

Brock Keeling

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:07:34 -0800

Yes. And I am DYING to know that and the cut of meat.

Angrybat

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:04:29 -0800

Would it be offensive to ask what kind of beer?

billywags

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:04:09 -0800

You're right. When they flow in this direction we call it prostitution.

manys

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:44:38 -0800

Wait, I thought dowrys were supposed to flow in the other direction.

RobInSF

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:31:38 -0800

$16,000 for a 14 year old? I guess that makes sense because it cost me $32,000 to get divorced from a 28 year old. And to think, I could have had 2 14 year olds instead. /sarcasm /heavy

The Angry Young Man

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:24:34 -0800

You do that, honey.

KatyG

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:19:20 -0800

I Blame The Patriarchy.