The Indian Child who was Buried Alive
The motives of infanticide vary from tribe to tribe, as do the methods used to kill the little ones. In addition to the children of single mothers, handicapped and mentally retarded children are also condemned to death. Twins can also be sacrificed. Some ethnic groups believe that one represents good and the other evil, and therefore, because they don't know which is which, eliminate both of them. Others believe that only animals can give birth to more than one offspring at a time. There are other motives, even more worthless, such as cases of Indians that kill those who are born with simple birth marks - those children, according to them, might bring a curse upon the tribe. The rituals of execution consist in burying alive, choking, or hanging the babies. Generally it is the mother herself who must execute the child, although there may be cases in which she can be helped by the father.
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