Is Khasi Society Truly Matriarchal? A Critical Study of Matriliny and Gender Power in Meghalaya

Arman Khan, Shaneya Dutta

Keywords: Matriliny, matriarchy, Khasi society, Meghalaya, gender power, kinship, inheritance, Northeast India, customary governance, patriarchal intrusion

TL;DR: Khasi society is matrilineal but not truly matriarchal, as women's inheritance rights do not translate into equal social, political, or decision-making power.

Abstract: Khasi society in Meghalaya is often described as matriarchal because descent, clan identity, and ancestral property pass through women. However, matriliny does not automatically create female domination in social or political life. This paper argues that Khasi society is better understood as matrilineal rather than matriarchal: women occupy a central position in lineage continuity and household security, but formal authority in kin mediation, village governance, and public decision-making remains largely male-dominated. Using an anthropological reading of kinship, inheritance, household roles, political institutions, and social change, the paper examines the gap between symbolic female centrality and actual gender power. The central finding is that women's inheritance rights provide status and protection, but they do not consistently translate into control over property, governance, or community norms.

Submission Number: 3