Home 2012

Where women rule! by Simon & Katerina

Update Jan 2012 - We have just returned from our final culture in Mexico..!

New article: in Cosmopolitanu 08,2011 - Czech Language
„HLEDÁM ŽENSKÉ KMENY“ - PDF 2.6MB


See recent photos from our trip on our - Facebook page.

The aim of the Matriarchal* Project is to highlighting the last cultures on the planet that have naturally place women as equals, without them having to fight for their rights.

• Are these cultures going to survive the impact of modernisation ?
• Can we learn anything to improving our own Western society ?

We have drawn on our experiences from painting on location with the local people, to help create a picture of how these matriarchal* cultures are surviving in the modern world.

The final product is going to be a travelling exhibition and a publication, presented in clear lay terms for a wide audience. We plan to finish the project in 2012.

The matriarchal* cultures we have visited are as follows ...

Zapotec culture, Mexico. 2011

Made famous by the artist Frida Kahlo the 'Tehuanas' (Zapotec women from Tehuantepec), are fighting to preserve their culture. It is only the well built women working the markets who still practice the old ways of keeping the money and running the family business. Alcoholism and commercial 'patriarchal' influences from the rest of Mexico are the biggest threats to this culture.

Mosuo Culture, China 2009

This is a strong matrilineal** culture that has become a popular destination for chinese tourists. Attracted not only by the natural beauty of Lugo Lake, but also by the idea that women have sexual freedom. Some people, however, are worried that the influx of so many tourists and the wrong publicity will result in the culture becoming superficial.

Minangkobau culture, Sumatra. 2008

This is the largest matrilineal culture in the world. It is also predominantly Muslim. In order for culture and religion to survive, both have had to make compromises.

Khasi culture, India. 2008

The Khasis are already very well integrated into the modern world, and have managed to protect their matrilineal system from the rest of India very successfully. Some Khasi men, however, have started pressure groups demanding that men have equal rights and that the matrilineal** system be reversed.

Garo culture, India. 2008

The Garo occupy the same range of mountains as the Khasis, but are located in a more remote region. Of the major influences from the outside world it is perhaps the cheap alcohol that is making the largest impact on the culture. The Garo proudly carry their mother's surname, and property is passed to the most capable daughter (Matrilineal).

Kuna culture, Panama. 2005

This semi autonomous group of islanders fiercely protect the status of their women from the outside world. Although the chiefs are often male, just about everything else hinges on the female, including financial income, family, land and name. (Matrilineal)

Katerina first became interested in matriarchal* cultures when she was working for 'WomanKind World Wide' in London. Since then, she has convinced Simon to join her on a quest to visit the most extreme women run cultures on the planet.

Simon's first encounter with a matriarchal culture came by chance at the end of a 14 day hike in China. He arrived at Lugo Lake, home to the Mosuo people, a culture where women do not get married, and, where men never escape from their mothers !

Word meanings...

• * Matriarchal - The exact meaning of this word is hotly debated by anthropologists around the globe. Broadly speaking, matriarchal means a system where the society is more balanced; where men and women have equal responsibilities and opportunities. Early anthropologists, however, originally described the word as being an opposite of 'patriarchy'. These days that definition is rarely used.

• ** Matrilineal - is the passing of the family or clan name onto the children down the female line rather than the male line. Matrilineal may also suggest inheritance is passed to the daughters and not the sons.