matriliny

Matriliny refers to kinship systems in which descent, inheritance, and membership in a kin group are traced primarily through the female line. In such arrangements, individuals belong to a matriline or matrilineage that is connected to the mother and her female relatives, and social rules often govern how property, kinship status, and sometimes titles or offices are transmitted along the mother’s line. This contrasts with patrilineal systems, where descent is reckoned through the father.

Matrilineal descent is a genealogical principle, while matriliny denotes the social and structural significance of the mother’s line within a society. A community can be matrilineal without being matriarchal, and vice versa. Moreover, matriliny is not synonymous with matrilocal residence, though in some societies the two patterns co-occur. Social power and authority may be distributed in varied ways within matrilineal groups, and women do not universally hold all leadership positions.

Examples often cited in anthropology include the Khasi of Northeast India, the Minangkabau of West Sumatra, and the Mosuo of southwest China. Each group has distinct rules about lineage membership, inheritance, and residence, illustrating the diversity of matrilineal arrangements. In these and other societies, the mother’s line serves as the primary reference for kinship and familial obligations, though local customs and modern pressures can alter traditional practices.

In the contemporary era, matriliny persists in some communities but faces change under legal, economic, and social transformations. Scholars continue to study how matrilineal norms interact with gender roles, property rights, and political authority within evolving social contexts.