Old traditions and modern life: matriarchy
Trip Start
Jan 30, 2007
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Trip End
Dec 31, 2011
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Lugu,
Tibet,
China
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Matrilineal Chinese tribe strives to maintain 2,000-year-old tradition
WengJici Erqing and Ruheng Cirenduoji grew up in households where grandmothers had absolute authority. Raised by their mothers and their uncles, neither knew his father well.
This unique matrilineal family system followed by the Mosuo people for more than 2,000 years is what the two aspire to protect. But in real life, both chose to compromise their ancient customs to make their modern lives easier.
Erqing not only sees his wife and his two daughters almost every day but also takes them out occasionally. Duoji married his Mosuo girlfriend and acquired an official marriage certificate.
Almost 15 years after the previously secluded tribe residing in the outlying areas of southwestern China opened their habitats to tourists, the younger generation like Erqing and Duoji have begun to waver between history and modernity, struggling to hold fast to their identity and their rare matriarchal traditions.
With their wood-frame houses scattered around the 60-sq-km LuguLake separating Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, the Mosuo ethnic minority has a population of about 40,000. Unlike the majority of China's ethnic groups who follow a strong patrilineal tradition, they have preserved their ancient matriarchal system and the tradition of "walking marriage."
After puberty, a Mosuo girl is free to receive men. But they can only visit at night and must go to their own homes in the morning. Any children born from these relationships are raised by the mother's family. The father will raise his sisters' children.
Read the rest of the story at
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90782/90874/6666642.html
