Matriliny is the tracing of ancestors through the female kinship lineage. There are very few matrilineal societies left in the world and some of them exist in India in states like Kerala, Karnataka and Meghalaya.

In the northeastern state of India, Meghalaya, such matrilineal groups are often referred to as ‘Khasi’. Khasi is a term for various subgroups in Meghalaya practising unique traditions and habits. The other such groups here are Jaintia and garo. All these groups share a common ethnic identity as Ki hynniew trep (the seven huts).

These matrilineal group with unique customary practices challenge the patriarchal system of society by giving the authority and ownership of everyday doings to the women of the family. The origins of these matrilineal groups known with the oral traditions were because the men were too busy to look after their families, focused on war, travel and hunting in the ancient times for survival. This gave them very little or no occasion to involve themselves in the family matters, hence the responsibilities, household duties and major decision making were handed over to the women.

While the men are usually far away from home looking for work to feed their families and stabilise their offspring’s, women are the ones who look after the nourishment of the successors, fulfil their day to day needs and make some of the necessary decisions and choices that are best for their families. Some women even work and are independent.

While men are the ones executing decisions, women play an important role in facilitating those choices and manipulating them. Most of the matrilineal groups have also had lesser cases of female foeticide killing than the rest of the country as these groups celebrate the birth and the lives of women more than that of men. However, this doesn’t mean that the matrilineal society is matriarchal, it is still bound with the shackles of patriarchy but it is slightly more empowering to women than the rest of the non-matrilineal states of India. 

The descents of a man are not his own kids, but his sister’s kids. Where a father is the head of the family, the maternal uncle’s authority overpowers the fathers. Men live in the house of their wives after their wedding.

Some practices that distinguish these groups from the rest of the world are the way they perceive women. Women are a blessing in such communities. The property and the valuables are inherited by the youngest girl child. The new-born girl receives the surname of her mother.

These communities offer utmost independence to women so they can support themselves and live their lives without any assistance. Pre-marital sex, birth out of a wedlock, or remarriage is not considered a taboo here. Most women even prefer staying single and not getting married to enjoy their freedom and explore. The ‘Khasi Social Custom of Lineage Act’ provides them with a sense of safety. Adultery by women is however considered a heinous act and sinful. Most men feel intimidated by the equal status of the women and have established associations to protect their rights. How ironical does it sound in comparison to the rest of the world where women are the second gender protecting their rights. 

These practices, beliefs and traditions relating to women are what distinguishes matrilineal societies from the rest of the world. Where in the outside world, women are still struggling to achieve an equal status, these matrilineal groups are way ahead of time.