Anthropology One of the Major Organizational Consequences

Anthropology

One of the major organizational consequences of matrilineal descent is that it results to the dominance of women while at the same time eradicating the "territorial" nature of males. This important feature of a matrilineal organization is vital, especially in the case of the Mosuo tribe, wherein the absence of territoriality discourages the practice of marriage. That is, women are bound only to their families and not their husbands or male relatives; the dominance of women in the tribe and dependence of males to females creates a matriarchal society instead of a patriarchal one.

The men's role in a matriarchal society is parallel with women's role in a patriarchal society, that is, to aid women in the process of procreation. Apart from his role as a father (but not a husband, as in the context of the Mosuo culture), males also help in daily household chores and to serve as guardians to take care of their sisters' and other female relatives' children.

Divorce rate is higher in matrilineal societies because women are more self-reliant than men; thus, depending on themselves cultivates the ideology that they can do without their husbands except in engaging himself in the process of procreation.

Through the leadership of women, the Mosuo tribe has created a society wherein women have become self-reliant, especially in engaging with their daily activities. They are able to produce children, organize families and support kinship roles primarily because their ability to nurture children and social relationships has enabled them to maintain these tasks. Males assume a minor role in strengthening kinship roles, although they do have their fair share of assuming responsibility of taking care of their female sisters' and relatives' children.

The Mosuo tribe is considered "living fossils" because they characterize the matriarchal society prevalent during the early human story; the dominance of the patriarchal social system in contemporary society makes the Mosuo culture unique when compared with other contemporary societies.

UTERINE FAMILIES

Uterine families in Taiwan are those who are characterized to be made up of female members, which may range from women belonging to the same lineage to women who have become part of a family through marriage. Thus, the uterine family includes all women who have familial connections, whether these are direct or indirect relations.

The uterine family is vital to Chinese women because it is through this family that they feel belonged, primarily because of the temporariness of her role as a daughter for her own family and as a wife of her husband. The uterine family serves as her social network wherein she can assume the role of a mother, daughter, wife, and friend.