Matrilineal Society of Meghalaya

An interesting archive article from NE Live.

North Easterners are known to be different. We have always been fighting an unsaid cultural war with mainland India, trying to ascertain our position in the society. There are many ways in which we are different from our mainland brothers and sisters. Be it in the beautiful hills, mountains or plains we live in, be it in the customs we follow, be it in the cultural assimilation that separates us from others or be it our customs – there are several things that make us different.

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One of the smaller states of the region is Meghalaya, a state that has been blessed by Nature. The state is known for its capital city, Shillong, which was once the capital of undivided Assam and is currently popular as the Rock Capital of India. Meghalaya also holds the distinction of having the place which records the heaviest rainfall in the world. But above all this, there is something else that makes this state different.

All the three major tribes that reside in Meghalaya – Khasis, Jaintias and Garos – abide to the matrilineal societal structure. It is one of the very few places in the world where matriliny is still practiced and is something that makes the indigenous people different from the others.

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Structure of A Matrilineal Society

Matrilineal is a lineage system where the children take the mother’s name rather than the fathers. The lineage continues from the mother’s side and not the father’s side. This also means that families are formed along the female blood-lines. In this type of society, the property is inherited by the daughters and not the sons.

Since the Khasis follow the matrilineal structure children take their mother’s surname. When a man and woman have the child, the child is mostly reared by the woman’s family, comprising of her mother and sisters. Moreover when a couple get married, the tradition of the society mandates the groom to leave his house and reside in the bride’s house forever, quite unlike what happens in a patrilineal system. The youngest daughter (known as the khaduh) is the caretaker of the property while her elder sisters get a part of it.

Position of the Men and Women in A Matrilineal Society

The hierarchy of a matrilineal society is different from a patrilineal society. The women are more or less the head of the family while the men take a backseat in the family. Women are more independent in a matrilineal society and have a say in everything relating to family matters.

The men, who though take a backseat in his wife’s family, play quite an important role in his sisters’ family. His sisters will consult him before taking any major decision. Marriages and other important ceremonies happen only after the brother gives his consent.

Khasis also have a broader perspective on marriage. When a man and woman decide to marry, the woman has equal role in the decision. It is also common for a child to be born out of wedlock and it is not a taboo in the society. It is also a common instance where men leave their young wives after the few years and the family’s responsibility falls on the woman. According to some historians, this is one of the major reasons why matriliny become a norm among the Khasis. As per tracing the origins of the matrilineal structure of the society is concerned, many also believe that the system evolved because men would always be away fighting wars and the responsibility of bringing up the children fell solely on the women.

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Political Significance of Matriliny

While the women are considered to be the head of the family and are in several cases also the bread-earners of the family, when it comes to ascertaining her political rights, she is at a disadvantageous position. According to the traditional political system of the Khasis, the village is one of the smallest units for political administration. The Khasis are known to practice one of the earliest forms of democracy where the village dorbar is a sort of parliament of the society. Men participate in the dorbar and women have no role here. Women are regarded as custodians but are not allowed to participate in any local dorbar or council, neither are they entrusted with any administrative functions. The men are entrusted with the task of protecting the community.

Since women have no political rights in the traditional system, it is become a bone of contention in the modern society. There are several women organisations that are fighting for a political space in the system and are not satisfied to be merely called the custodians of the society.

On the other hand, exposure to the mainland and embracing Christianity has made several Khasi men question the relevance of the matrilineal society. The men feel they have been relegated within their own society and have no role to play within their family. Many are demanding an equal position in the family, much alike the patriarchal structure followed by most societies.

As of now the matrilineal structure is here to stay because the majority of the Khasis are upholding the tradition. There are naturally a few dissent groups, both among men and women who want a better position within the system.