Tiesese – Walking Marriage Mosuo Mosuo people do not normally marry, but instead engage in sexual relationships called tiesese, also known in Mandarin as zouhun. In these Adolescence “walking marriages,” a man will visit his lover at night and return home to his mother’s house in the morning. These Young Life in a matriarchal Society relationships are non-exclusive and non- committal. The woman is normally the one to begin a walking marriage, and she does so by giving a gift, like a handkerchief, to her male interest. A woman may begin inviting men to spend the night with her as soon as she is sexually mature.
Though lovers are not bound by marriage, their relationships may not necessarily be casual. Some walking marriages are long-standing.
Though it isn’t traditional in Mosuo culture, marriage is becoming more common among the Mosuo people. Some Mosuo adolescents say that they hope to marry someday. Mosuo elders are not opposed to this changing attitude toward marriage, so long as the young women still take proper care of their families. By: Stephen Ayala, Tatiana Graza, and Michelle Gustafson Coming of Age
When they are about 13 years old, Mosuo boys and girls get to participate in a Coming of Age ceremony, which marks the beginning of adolescence.
As children, Mosuo boys and girls dress The Mosuo people live around Lugu Lake. the same. At the Coming of Age ceremony, however, they begin to dress like adults. Gender Differences Young
women being to wear their Women hair in plaited braids, and Mosuo women are the head of their wear Mosuo women are given their own families. Neither men nor women ever traditional bedrooms, or “flower chambers,” so that move out of their mothers’ homes. white dresses with red belts at the they may invite lovers to spend the night. Women take care of finances, ceremony. Young men wear jackets and agricultural jobs, and housework. pants with colorful belts. After the ceremony, the young men and women begin taking on adult roles in Men their families. They are allowed to Men are in charge of the livestock and participate in religious ceremonies and hold all of the political power. Because begin take on adult roles (as described they continue to live with their mothers on the left). Young women are also throughout their lifetimes, men also play given their own private bedroom so that they may begin inviting sexual partners a large part in raising their nieces and The unique Mosuo society attracts lots of to spend the night with them. nephews, rather than fathering their own tourism. Here, some Mosuo people are offspring. shown performing a song and dance for tourists.