The first thought that came to mind while watching this video were whether or not our thoughts and feeling are innate or learned. To me, when I think about happiness or anger, envy or infatuation, it always feels as though it was not taught, but it’s a part of who I am. These relationships established high in the Himalayas challenges that frame of mind. The mentality surrounding relationships is challenged, as is the role of females in the household.

In our culture, men are seen as jealous and territorial creatures, especially when a female is involved; however, we see that these men are in no way jealous or unhappy in their situation. In fact, the men aren’t forced into any kind of arrangement: the decision is made collectively by the family. These men agree to a multiple-husband marriage. There are no feelings of jealousy because they are not raised to be jealous of other men with their wife. This also challenges the basic structure of a relationship. In the US, although polygamy exists, it is still widely not accepted. We are made to believe that it is wrong and impossible to be in a functional relationship with more than one partner. Here, it is seen that it is perfectly acceptable and practical.

Female also play a more dominant role in this society than seen in many other places. The males play an active role in housekeeping and raising children. Usually in traditional societies, this is saved specifically for the female. The relationships have formed without bias and grow out of necessity, not the ego of one gender. This may shift in the future, due to the infiltration of the modern world, where others in the surrounding area have the male as the absolute dominant figure in the household.

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