ABSTRACT
A man becomes linked in a special way with the sister or cousin, if she is a contemporary, whose marriage made his own possible. They use the regular kinship terms, but their mutual responsibilities are now especially urgent. They exchange gifts of food every few days, he immediately stands by if she is in any kind of trouble, and she comes at once should he suffer the slightest mishap. He also acts as the principal maternal uncle to her children even when their relationship is classificatory rather than real. Men without a linked sister or cousin, women without a linked brother or cousin, and such women's sons and daughters are all regarded unfortunate. Ordinarily the situation arises only when a decade or longer elapses before a return marriage can be arranged. This chapter presents a few examples of the sort of clashes that occur when the relatives are arranging a marriage.
