There's something mildly disturbing about that to me. Maybe it is the fact that the eldest girl is only a few years away from puberty, and she's still sucking on her mum's tit? Or maybe it's the fact that they do it in public, or the extreme dependency on mum it seems to imply. I mean, isn't part of the purpose of weaning to give your children some independence?
And would she still do this if she had a son? At what age will she finally cut them off, if they're still asking to suckle at age 15?
I think the goal in weaning is to give the mother independence, so she can rejoin the work force and get out of the house for a while. But 8 years plus... this seems similar to Goodall's chimp, Old Flo and her second-to-last un-weaned infant. You probably remember how that ended.
Search in page for "My Life With the Chimpanzees by Jane Goodall part 30" as the relevant section starts just before this break.
Then Fro began to wean him. When he wanted to suckle, she pushed him away. When he jumped on her back during travel, she shrugged him off. Flint, like many youngsters, become very upset he threw violent tantrums, hurling himself about and screaming until he almost choked. He even bit and bit his mother. Indeed, he was so violent that Flo had not managed to wean him properly by the time her next baby was born. Most youngsters begin to make their own night nests when their baby brothers or sisters are born. But Flint insisted on pushing in with Flo and his new sister, Flame. When Flo tried to stop him, he cried until she gave in. And he insisted on riding her back, even though the new baby was clinging on below. Because part of Flo's attention now went to the new baby, Flint became upset and behaved like a jealous human child. He even tried to push in and suckle along with Flame when Flo stopped him--she did not have enough milk for two youngster--he became very depressed. when Flo groomed the baby, Flint often pulled her hand away, wanting her to groom him instead. But he was never mean to his infant sister. Indeed, he often played with her and carried her around. Little Flame disappeared when she was six months old. It happened when Flo got really sick. We found her lying on the ground, too weak to climb. We never found out what happened to Flame--probably she died of Flo's illness. Flo, to our joy, recovered. And Flint, now that he had his mother's undivided attention, quickly regained his former high spirits. But he went on sleeping with Flo, riding her back, and constantly pestering her for grooming. Most eight-year-old males begin to spend time away from their mothers, traveling with the big males, learning the sorts of things they need to know when they are grown up. But Flint was still pathetically dependent on Flo. By this time she was looking very ancient--she must have been close to fifty years old. Her teeth were worn to the gum, her once black hair was brown and sparse, and she was shrunken and frail-looking like a little old lady. She simply collapsed when Flint tried to ride on her back, so he had to walk. But he still slept with her at night. They were mostly on their own together because Flo was too weak to keep up with the other chimps. Her old age would have been very lonely but for Flint.
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Date: 2006-09-26 07:48 pm (UTC)And would she still do this if she had a son? At what age will she finally cut them off, if they're still asking to suckle at age 15?
Weird.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-09-27 02:37 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-09-27 12:41 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-09-27 03:44 pm (UTC)Search in page for "My Life With the Chimpanzees by Jane Goodall part 30" as the relevant section starts just before this break.
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Date: 2006-09-29 12:44 am (UTC)