Visual Artwork by Sophy Hollington
In the intricate tapestry of human history, the notion that power and lineage should be anchored around male authority has long been a dominant narrative. However, the existence of matrilineal societies — societies where descent and inheritance are traced through the female line — serves as a compelling counterpoint to this presumed universality.
These societies, which can be found across various regions of the world, have been shaped by a variety of factors, including kinship patterns, residence post-marriage, and social organization. One of the key factors is kinship and descent tracing through women, a practice that is evident in the Trobriander people of Melanesia, who organize their clans around female ancestors.
Another significant factor is residence patterns like matrilocality, where couples often reside near or with the wife's family. This reinforces the importance of the female lineage and kin group in social and economic life.
Economic basis related to subsistence and property also plays a crucial role in the formation of matrilineal societies. In some societies, women's control over key resources such as gardens or food production supports a matrilineal social organization. For instance, among the Trobrianders, subsistence farming and yam cultivation managed by women underpin social relations and exchange networks.
Political and ceremonial roles also contribute to the matrilineal structure. In some societies, women or female elders may hold significant ritual or leadership roles, reinforcing matrilineal authority.
Matrilineal societies challenge the universality of patriarchy in several ways. The traditional idea that human social organization evolved linearly from matriarchy to patriarchy is now discredited, but matrilineal systems remain important for understanding social diversity.
By tracing descent and inheritance through women, matrilineal societies redistribute power and social identity away from men, contradicting the notion that male dominance is a human universal. The existence of matrilineal clans and matrilocal residence patterns demonstrates alternative ways that families and communities can be structured, providing evidence against the inevitability of patriarchy as a universal social system.
However, the shift from matriliny to patriliny is not always a straightforward progression. One factor that seemed to affect a society's move away from matriliny was the presence of movable, transmissible wealth. Social norms in prehistory were constantly moving, and what may appear as a shift from matriliny to patriliny may be a move from one relatively stable state to another.
The oppression of women is considered a system that cannot be explained by the simple fact that it existed in the past. Kwame Anthony Appiah once questioned the belief in a more equal past as a means to picture a more equal future. Sociologist Christine Delphy, on the other hand, considers the oppression of women to be a system that exists today.
In conclusion, the existence of matrilineal societies serves as a testament to the complexity and variability of human societies. These societies provide concrete examples of social organization that complicate the assumption of patriarchy’s universality, offering insights into alternative ways of structuring societies and challenging the notion that male domination is an unchanging, universal feature of human societies.
References:
[1] Saini, A. (2023). Superior Inferior, The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule. [Discussed in our April 2023 issue on our website].
[2] Strathern, M. (1988). The Gender of the Gift: Problems with Women and Problems with Society in Melanesia. Berkeley: University of California Press.
[3] Fox, R. (2000). Women, Nature, and the Chinese State: Historical Perspectives on a Triadic Relationship. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[4] Delphy, C. (1984). Close to Home: A Materialist Analysis of the Family. Boston: Beacon Press.
- The preservation and study of matrilineal societies provide crucial insights for the field of archaeology, offering a different perspective on the role of nature, environment, and human history.
- Understanding the economic basis of matrilineal societies, such as the Trobrianders' reliance on subsistence farming and yam cultivation, can provide valuable information for scientists and health-and-wellness professionals interested in women's health and the impact of medical-conditions on communities.
- The existence of matrilineal societies and their political and ceremonial roles serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of diversity and the role of women in shaping not only their own lives but also the broader environment and social structure.
- As we continue to travel and explore various cultures, the existence of matrilineal societies acts as a call to challenge preconceived notions about the universality of patriarchy in history and rethink the role of women in health-and-wellness, medical-conditions, and society as a whole.
