As part of our cultural background,beliefs about marriage can be as different as the cultures of the world.While the traditional Chines did not believe that young people should be free to choose their own marriage partners,the Hopi,a native people of North America,had a very different idea about freedom.The Hopi allowed boys to leave their parents'home at age thirteen to live in a kiva,a special home for young males.Here they enjoyed the freedom to go out alone at night and secretly visit young girls.Most boys tried to leave the girl's home before daylight,but a girl's parents usually did not get angry about the night visits.They allowed the visits to continue if they were impressed that the boy was someone who would make a good marriage partner.After a few months of receiving visits,most girls became pregnant.As a consequence,they could choose their favorite boy for a husband.