Question 1
Some Mormons insist on the practice of polygyny for religious reasons. They argue that though the practice is illegal, it is accepted and recommended in the Bible. As such, polygyny is part of their duty to fulfill the religious requirements of the Bible.
The reasons for polygyny among Mormons differ from the polygynous societies found in East Africa. The Maasai marry several wives for work and status purposes. For a Maasai man, marrying several wives is essential since the other wives help complete the household duties, like taking care of cattle, sheep, and goats. Marrying more wives is also vital for status because men with more wives are respected in society.
Question 2
Polygamy can be legalized in Canada under the condition that the women being married into a polygamous marriage have reached the age of consent, have agreed to marry into a polygamous marriage, and that the current wife(s) consents to the new marriage. These requirements will ensure that the polygamous marriages are fair to all the participants, particularly the women. It should also be based purely on religious reasons.
Question 3
Polygamy refers to a state of marriage where one many are married to more than one wife at the same time. On the other hand, polyamory refers to a state of marriage where one woman is married to more than one man at the same time. The Himalayas communities of India and Nepal have a polyamorous culture that enables one woman to marry several men (who are often brothers).
Question 4
From what I have learned, one of the advantages of polygamous marriage is that it facilitates the completion of household chores, especially among East African pastoral communities like the Maasai. One of the disadvantages of polygamy is that it often leads to jealousy among the married wives as they seek attention from their husbands.
Question 5
After viewing the different types of cross-cultural marital patterns, I think the aspect of Free Love among the community members in South West China should be viewed critically. There is a lot of missing information on the nature of the marital pattern of the community. Though the video claimed that the community has no traditional marriage concept, the evidence from the video conflicted with the statement and the idea of free love in the community. There was a ceremony to unite the two lovers, and the father of the child was given a chance to visit his daughter several times.