I explore fraternal polyandry, a significant but rare social institution, and its relationship with changing land ownership patterns in Kinnaur, Western Himalaya. Kinnauri fraternal polyandry, a common traditional marital practice where one woman marries two or more brothers, is a complex cooperative strategy that has alleviated environmental uncertainty for those living in harsh environments. In a region with land, resource, and labor scarcity, strong social networks reduce risk and support livelihoods. Drawing on qualitative ethnographic research, I analyze the link between polyandry and land ownership in Kinnaur and suggest that declining polyandry is contributing to land partitioning and consequently changing patterns of land tenure. This process is further exacerbated by climate change. Smaller landholdings and the associated increase in the number of independent households may have significant long-term economic consequences. Shifting marital customs reflect wider social transitions, largely driven by increased exposure to the broader market and modernization.

中文翻译：

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喜马拉雅西部金瑙尔的一妻多夫和土地所有权

我探索了兄弟一妻多夫这种重要但罕见的社会制度，以及它与喜马拉雅西部金瑙尔不断变化的土地所有权模式的关系。Kinnauri 兄弟一妻多夫是一种常见的传统婚姻做法，一个女人嫁给两个或两个以上的兄弟，是一种复杂的合作策略，它减轻了生活在恶劣环境中的人的环境不确定性。在土地、资源和劳动力稀缺的地区，强大的社会网络可降低风险并支持生计。利用定性的民族志研究，我分析了 Kinnaur 一妻多夫与土地所有权之间的联系，并认为一夫多妻制的减少正在导致土地分割，从而改变土地保有权模式。气候变化进一步加剧了这一过程。较小的土地持有量和随之而来的独立家庭数量的增加可能会产生重大的长期经济后果。不断变化的婚姻习俗反映了更广泛的社会转型，这主要是由于对更广泛的市场和现代化的接触增加。