Women, Violence and the Matrilineal Society: A Study of the A•Chik Women of Meghalaya
The Shifting Role of Women: From Chores to Cores. Edited by Vivek Kumar Dwivedi, 2023
In a world where patriarchal structure is the norm, the Garos or the A·chiks
residing mainly in t... more In a world where patriarchal structure is the norm, the Garos or the A·chiks
residing mainly in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya have long been recognised
for their matrilineal practices. It is understood that such a society gives much importance to women, since matrilineality envisages women’s welfare and provides relative power, including ownership over property. It is also the women who are the village or clan leaders (nokma), and the lineage is strictly carried forward by women rather than men. This paper examines the present position of the women residing in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya in North East India, and the relevance of the matrilineal practice when it comes to gender-based violence. It also asks whether matrilineal kinship is associated with a more secure environment for women, or whether they are still vulnerable to violence in spite of the fact that matrilocal residence is predominant in this society, and women are always surrounded by their kith and kin when looking after their day-to-day activities. Using the primary data and drawing from feminist theories, we argue that the traditional practices of safeguarding women’s rights and
security by the elders of the particular clan are still seen as relevant and
adhered to; however, simultaneously, more A·chik-educated women rely on
the administrative set-up provided by the government in the district, such as one-stop centres, women’s police, and social service centres.
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Papers by Dwijen Sharma
residing mainly in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya have long been recognised
for their matrilineal practices. It is understood that such a society gives much importance to women, since matrilineality envisages women’s welfare and provides relative power, including ownership over property. It is also the women who are the village or clan leaders (nokma), and the lineage is strictly carried forward by women rather than men. This paper examines the present position of the women residing in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya in North East India, and the relevance of the matrilineal practice when it comes to gender-based violence. It also asks whether matrilineal kinship is associated with a more secure environment for women, or whether they are still vulnerable to violence in spite of the fact that matrilocal residence is predominant in this society, and women are always surrounded by their kith and kin when looking after their day-to-day activities. Using the primary data and drawing from feminist theories, we argue that the traditional practices of safeguarding women’s rights and
security by the elders of the particular clan are still seen as relevant and
adhered to; however, simultaneously, more A·chik-educated women rely on
the administrative set-up provided by the government in the district, such as one-stop centres, women’s police, and social service centres.