I had such an amazing time reading this article, 6 Modern Societies Where Women Rule by Laura Garrison. I sought out this article on matriarchal societies because it sparked my interest very suddenly. I was on Facebook the other day and saw a link to a matrilineal society, Akan, located in Ghana, where roles in the society are passed down matrilineally, meaning through the man’s mother. Eager to learn more, I stumbled upon Garrison’s article. She outlines 6 different societies in the world that are all female-led and still thriving today. I encourage all to read this article, as it is incredibly eye opening, especially in this tumultuous time where we still are seeing women’s voices stifled. The Mosuo of China, the Minangkabau of Indonesia, the Akan of Ghana, the Bribri of Costa Rica, the Garo of Burma, and the Nagovisi of New Guinea are all examples of modern-day matrilineal societies. I do wonder, however, where the boys and men go, and does the absence of men ever prove to be troublesome when it comes to maintaining these societies? In class, we’ve covered the disparities still in place based on gender, so this was quite touching to know that these women are strong, self-sufficient, and truly independent. We could definitely use some of these in America.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/31274/6-modern-societies-where-women-literally-rule
This article is so interesting! I think one of the most remarkable aspects of this is that these societies are widespread across the globe, and not all centered in one general area. It raises similar questions in my mind about the men, and if the matriarchy has similar toxic effects of them as the patriarchal values of many other societies have on women.
I found this article to be interesting as well. Not too often within history do we hear about women not only running communities, but actively governing them.
I found this article to be interesting as well. Not too often within history do we hear about women not only running communities, but actively governing them. Not only is this refreshing to hear, but a reassurance that women are, and have always been, capable of leading.