article

A Study of women's position among the Garo

Man in India • 45 (1) • Published In 1965 • Pages: 27-36

By: Goswami, M. C., Majumdar, Dhirendra Narayan.

Abstract
In this paper, Goswami and Majumdar argue that in spite of Garo society being matrilineal, women are no more powerful than their sisters in patrilineal societies. Descent, inheritance, family succession, and residence are reckoned matrilineally, however, real power is invested in the group of matrilineally related males, or CHRA. Although women inherit property, men manage it. Women are not involved in decision-making on the village level. A man's word is final in the home and village. A woman is expected to show respect to all male elders and must seek CHRA approval if she wants to divorce her husband. According to the authors, all spirits are male-like. The authors present three cases of marital discord.
Subjects
Gender status
Household
Family relationships
Lineages
culture
Garo
HRAF PubDate
1999
Region
Asia
Sub Region
South Asia
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard ; 1998
Field Date
1953-1964
Coverage Date
1953-1964
Coverage Place
Garo Hills Autonomous District, Maghalaya State, India
Notes
M. C. Goswami ; D. N. Majumdar
Includes bibliographical references (p. 35)
LCCN
sa 64000670
LCSH
Garo (Indic people)