Guest marriage and matriarchy: how the Moso people live, where women rule everything

It turns out that matriarchy as a form of society, in which women dominate and have expanded rights, still exists on our planet. And this is not about small tribes somewhere in the tropics, but about the completely prosperous Moso people, whose representatives live in China. Yes, in modern China, with its high-speed freeways, breathtaking skyscrapers, incredible bridges and high rates of economic growth, there are still places where people have preserved their traditional way of life. For example, in the mountainous regions of Sichuan and Yunnan, in the southern parts of the country adjacent to Tibet.

Mountain regions in any part of the planet are characterized by high ethnic and cultural diversity. The complex relief and many isolated valleys contribute to the preservation of unique peoples and their traditions, which are little involved in the cycle of modern life. This happened with the Moso people, whose representatives live mainly in the region of the high mountain lake Luguhu, as well as in the regions adjacent to it, and are distinguished by the presence of a matriarchal society.

Modern science identifies several features by which this or that society can be classified as matriarchal, and the Moso people have several of them at once. This is the primacy of women in solving family issues and the distribution of family income, inheritance of property that is transmitted exclusively through the female line, as well as the undeniable right of women to their children, who always live and are brought up in the mother's family. In addition, Moso has a number of features associated with the role of men, which clearly indicate matriarchal traditions. For example, among Mosos a specific form of marriage is practiced, called guest marriage.

In a guest marriage, a man does not create his own family, but continues to live in his mother’s house with his sisters and brothers. He comes to his chosen one only at night, and in the morning he returns to his family. Children born from such a marriage remain with their mother, and the man does not participate in their upbringing. If desired, he can provide financial assistance and spend time with children, but in most cases it turns out that the man devotes more time to his nephews, with whom he lives under the same roof. A Moso woman can have several husbands throughout her life, and she is always free to choose. But even in the case of constant and long-term relationships, the Moso man remains to live in his mother’s house, never lives with his children and does not claim to his wife’s property.

As for the distribution of labor duties, then Mosos are not very different from representatives of other peoples leading a traditional lifestyle. Women, along with men, do housework, doing housework, weaving, and work in the field. Men are also engaged in farming, fishing, and seasonal field work. Representatives of the Moso people are engaged in breeding yaks, goats and other domestic animals, as well as grow cereals and vegetables that can grow in mountain climates.

As noted by researchers of the Moso culture, matriarchal traditions are strong only among the peasants who make up the majority. But among the few nobles who own large plots of land or other property, as well as occupy a high position in society, traditions are somewhat different. In such Mosos, status and property are inherited both on the male and female lines. That is, if a noble Moso man has children from a simple peasant woman, then they inherit his property and surname, but a noble Moso woman can no longer associate her fate with a man of lower social status. If she does, her children will not inherit property and a noble surname.

Representatives of the Moso people are not very numerous and live in mountainous regions on the border with Tibet. Since the official Chinese leadership classifies these people as a Nashi group, it is quite difficult to establish the number of Mosos. Most ethnographers agree that there are about 40-55 thousand people in Moso. Moso has a mixed religious culture based on Buddhism and the Bon religion, which is common among Tibetans. Another feature of Moso is its incredible love for dogs. These animals are revered and respected, worshiped and given all kinds of honors.

Watch the video: Mosuo. Wikipedia audio article (March 2024).

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