Book Review
Societies of Peace: Matriarchies, past, present and future: 2009.
Heide Goettner-Abendroth (ed.)
Innana Publications and Education Inc. Toronto, Canada. (450 pages)
by Bhanumathi Natarajan
This book is a compilation of articles that resulted from the First and the Second World Congress on Matriarchal Studies held in 2003 and 2005 respectively. The editor of the book Heide Goettner-Abendroth is an authority in Matriarchal studies, and has dedicated her research for the last 20 years on this subject.
Heide Goettner-Abendroth defines the principle of matriarchal societies as based on balance and egalitarianism and not domination. They are economically and socially balanced systems, which enable these societies to respect natural resources of the earth. As opposed to this patriarchal societies are built on notion of exploitation, conquer, war, greed and inequality. As we look at the organizing of matriarchal societies and try to understand them we may be able to gather what destruction patriarchy has caused humankind and nature.
The authors of different articles in the book span from all the continents of the world. They show alternatives to accumulation, war, consumption, destruction, control, violence and inequality. The articles among others are a result of documentation from archeology, psychology, history, religion and cultural practices. These are based on holistic thinking- egalitarian, social balance and respect for the earth and her resources. That these societies exist even today, although only in vestiges, is portrayed in different articles through examples taken from around the world- Europe, America, Asia, Oceania and Africa. I have chosen to highlight important matriarchal elements from the book.
Matriarchal principles
In many parts of the world matriarchal societies are gender-egalitarian as opposed to the common misconception that women dominate. Goettner-Abendroth prefers to use the word “arche” which in Greek means both “beginning” and “domination”. Further she depicts matriarchy as “mothers from the beginning” from their capacity to give birth to life- thereby mothers being the “beginning”. In the first article she describes the deep structure of matriarchal society characterized by different levels. The economy in these societies is based on agriculture. Principles of economic equality are maintained, i.e. society does not accumulate and is egalitarian. Matriarchal economies are gift -giving economies in the truest sense. Social guidelines cater to for example gift giving without strings attached. In other words matriarchies are called “societies of economic reciprocity, balanced by gift-giving”. At all levels in the society, economic, social, political and cultural matriarchal societies maintain the balance between genders, generations, between humans and nature. These go a long way in fostering an atmosphere of peacemaking.
Modern civilization?
Can patriarchy develop into an individual civilization? And if so, what will happen when the last vestiges of matriarchy have been destroyed? Claudia van Wernholf gives a clear and daring explanation of how patriarchy has developed a “war-system” based on total destruction, plunder and causing trauma and pain in peoples, and then calling it “civilization”. She explains this through what she calls as “patriarchal alchemy”- commodification, money and profit (through the market) and subduing women. For example women were first transformed into “witches” and now “housewives”. Everything from natural resources to human parts is exploited for the sake of profit that has resulted in mindboggling problems in the form of pollution and deforestation. The stark reality in the form of climate change we see and experience today is a wake-up call for us to act in our own small ways. She mentions some tips as to how each and every one of us can act to reverse the destruction of the earth and her resources.
Genevieve Vaughan suggests a mother prototype for “humans” instead of patriarchal norms as humans. She focuses on “mother`s norms or mother prototype”, where nurturing principles of a mother world be considered “human” instead of just feminine principles. Gift giving she points out creates solidarity, bonds and transitivity.
How the people of Juchitan are able to maintain their matriarchally oriented culture, amidst patriarchal economic and social structure? Veronica Benholdt-Thomson`s study in an indigenous town Juchitan situated in the southern part of Mexico shows that these peoples` value system is based on a “moral economy” where the economy, social and cultural life are treated holistically, and not independent of each other. Another important aspect of moral self-sufficient economy is based on “subsistence”. Subsistence model takes into account the material and immaterial needs of people in everyday life such as food, drink, housing, spirituality and conviviality. This is the opposite of patriarchy where individual self-sufficiency is important.
Nature in matriarchal traditions
As I was reading the book, article after article, the principle of holistic thinking in matriarchal systems suffused in me. For example in the article on the culture of the Kuna, women and men form part of the social, economic, cultural and spiritual equilibrium. On Nature they say that the Earth does not belong to us, but we belong to it. Therefore we share nature`s bounties with everyone in the society. For the Akan of Ghana and Ivory Coast (eastern part) welfare of the family is interwoven with respect and reverence. Therefore they have no desire to dominate the natural world.
Matriarchal medicine systems are holistic. The soul, the physical with cosmology and the natural world are taken into consideration when administering treatment. The imbalances caused due to illness are dealt with the use of herbs, plants and rituals. Women possessed medical knowledge that was orally passed down from one generation to another, often secretly. The article by Gad Agyako Osafo describes the healing heritage of the Akans. The elderly wise woman, Abrewa or Obaapany for instance posses knowledge of plants and herbs used as medicine. In the chapter on the Practice of Medicine of Matriarchal societies Cecile Keller gives an account of North American Iroquois women`s medical knowledge.
The Kabyles, an ethnic sub-group of the Berbers, the oldest known people in North Africa inhabit Algeria, Tunisia and Morroco. The Kabiliyan women are the “central pillar” of the house. Women are the key in maintaining and imparting the local dialects of the Kabiliyan language. Language is important as this is the key through which traditions are passed down from the older to the younger generations by word of mouth. Makilam in this article discusses their culture that is based on subsistence, foraging and respect for nature. She explains this by using the four seasons of nature, how life in its cyclic understanding means renewal of life- and from birth until death a woman as mother is protector of life itself.
Once again the Shipibo people of the upper Amazon is egalitarian where the power balance between men and women is “not equal and alike but equal and opposite”. Carolyn Heath explains that for the Shipibo the source of conscious is the unconscious. Consiciousness arises out of the unconscious or inner world. Both have to be valued as opposed to western dualistic thinking where consciousness and intellect as superior whereas unconscious and intuition are inferior or totally ignored.
Non-violent and egalitarian model
In the article on Beyond Patriarchy and Violence Bernedette Muthien discusses two models: the dominator model and the partnership model to show that violence and inequality are associated with patriarchal system. The partnership model can lead to harmonious living, thinking and being where cooperation with nature and recognizing inter-dependence is weighed upon. The dominator model is characterized by economic inequality, patterns of violence in resolving conflicts, and takes form as war, male authority, control over decision-making and restrictions on women`s ability to leave the family setting. The Khoisan`s of South Africa are used as an example to depict a society based on peaceful, non-violent and egalitarian culture.
Today where Islam is associated with violence or terrorism it is well worth to learn that there still exist matriarchal societies- the Minangkhabu of Western Sumatra who are proudly Islamic, and whose social order is committed to peaceful relations. For the Minangkabau nurturance and non-violence is inherent to human nature. They consider Nature as their teacher and emphasize the importance in resolving conflicts through negotiations and discussion and not force. For them the “adat matriarchaat” or matriarchal customs is sacred and enforces a peaceful culture.
In the Iroquoian model sharing was the law unlike hoarding. Barbara Mann gives the model of the Jigonsaseh where negotiation, not war was crucial, collaboration not domination was given importance, and sharing not individuality, were the key principles. The Jigonsaseh was the great woman who was the key in the liberation struggle and the formation of a constitution of peace. When a patriarch was trying to make people support him and destroy the society of the Jignosaseh, the people chose the “corn way” (society based in agriculture) a path which the Jigonsaseh adopted for a civic life.
Changing times
Patricia Mukhin gives a picture of the Khasi matrilineal society in North Eastern India where grandmother, her daughters and daughter`s children live together. The land belongs to the clan. Matrilineal society is favourable to women- women carry the clan forward, there is no dowry system, co-habitation is allowed and marriage is by choice. However patriarchy is en marsj in the society and is posing a threat to matriliny of the Khasis.
Just like the Khasis the Nayars of Kerala were matriarchal societies where women stayed on in her mother`s house, her children also stayed on and were looked after by the maternal uncle. Sexual freedom existed for both men and women. No stigma was attached to women if she terminated the partnership. There was no dowry system and women enjoyed high status. This article by Savithri Shankar de Tourreil also describes how the colonial legacy has had an impact in Nayar nomenclature. The patriarchal norms (homogenization of patriarchy, rise in cash economy and colonial ideology) have not left the Nayar societies untouched. While in 1903 daughters were important in carrying on the matrilineage; in 1980 a son had become more desirable.
Among the Masuo people who live in borders of Yunan and Sichuan provinces in South West China the Dadu or the matriarch is in charge of the family, it`s economy, in providing food and taking care of important family issues. This society is also facing challenges from tourism, resource depletion and commercialization of education system. The clan and family structure are changing. There are some suggestions by the author for preserving of Masuo culture.
Elements from earlier matriarchal soscieties
Social Structure of Old Europe was built on the respect for the Earth and the Cosmos. Further these non-Indo-European societies of the Neolithic period were matrilineal, matrifocal, egalitarian and harmonious. The research that supports these characteristics is gathered from linguistic, mythological historical research along with studies on settlements and burial evidence by the author Joan Marler.
Landscape mythology explores roots of culture in a particular landscape or geographical area and encompasses field of ethnology, archeology and mythology. Using this approach one can uncover old traditions that show that old societies were matriarchal and as shown in this chapter by Kurt Derungs such societies not only existed in the Far East but also in Europe.
Lucia Chiavola Birnbaum discusses the African migration path in Europe, its political and cultural importance from research done in Sardinia. The Sardinian example shows the African influence on the Mediterranean regions and help to understand the high civilization of the Bronze Age “without any of the characteristics of conquest”. She says that the “dark mother” who was worshipped came from Central and Southern Africa. Further this dark mother was transferred as “black Madonnas” in the Christian tradition. She reiterates that the dark skinned deities can be seen all over the world.
Christa Mulack challenges the notion that Jews are basically patriarchal. She describes the matriarchal structure in the Hebrew Bible and how male control was unsuccessful because women refused to obey the Lord (male). In the article she argues that in these women-based societies justice and peace prevailed which was eventually lost when patriarchy took over.
Gail Carter enumerates a list of likely cultural characteristics that “matristic” culture existed in the pre-history of Japan. Just as the following characteristics: egalitarianism, peace, valuing life and its inter-connectedness to all life-forms were the norm in many matriarchal societies around the world, Japan was not alone. These principles were also followed in the Jomon period (16,500-300BCE). She traces the worship of the Japanese sun goddess “Amaterasu-O-Mi-Kami» after the excavation of dogu or dolls in large numbers that point to veneration and “kami” goddess worship. She is alive in the minds and spirit of the Japanese even today. The author hopes that these traces of matriarchal principles would gain importance more and more as “Amaerasu-O-Mi-Kami» is still worshipped by the royal family of Japan, and her myths are taught in public schools despite the Japanese society being patriarchal.
Origins of matriarchal culture
One wonders how those societies that were peaceful, egalitarian, harmonious, and that had reverence for life, turned into societies that are violent, non-egalitarian and in dominating the earth and cosmos? In order to understand the shift from matriarchal to patriarchal societies and the current global environmental crisis we are facing, we need to go back to history. The consequences of major environmental transformation from lush to desert conditions were the cause of the emergence of Patrism. The core areas that were transformed to patrism were in the Old World- North Africa, Near East and Central Asia also called “Saharasia” by the author James Demo of this article. Further these societies were characterized by child-abuse, female sub-ordination, sex-repression and destructive aggression. His study included ethnographic and anthropological literature and a systematic survey of published global historical and archeological compendium. Matristic components were absent.
In the last chapter Heidi Goettner-Abendroth emphasizes that a thorough historical study/origins and not hypothesis of matriarchal societies that existed prior to the rise of patriarchy is absolutely essential to avoid misconceptions as to how patriarchy came about. Out of the work by Maria Gimbutas and James de Meo and Heidi`s own interdisciplinary research, she suggests that patriarchal ideology was established as a result of the domination techniques created by uprooted individuals who had to leave their homes due to desertification. The central point of domination was the subjugation of women. As a result matriarchal societies were attacked and clans destroyed. Once the bearers of culture, the women were now raped, dominated and replaced by patriarchal societies. Heidi comments that overpopulation of the earth – both in the industrialized and third world countries, and climate change are alarming and we have no perfect answers. Perhaps matriarchal principles can show us the way to a peaceful and abundant society? Very often over population is addressed as the cause of environmental problems but the question of consumption in the rich world and the rich world in the third world is crucial too and is not addressed.
Conclusion
From a historical perspective and the current perspective the book covers many elements from various disciplines to show that matriarchal societies are “societies of peace”- sharing was the principle and not accumulation. Peace and non-violence are hallmark of matriarchal societies. The balance at all levels in matriarchal societies for example women`s ways and men way`s are considered complementary; helps people who are searching for a new philosophy and new vision to support and create a culture of peace. However, there is a dire need to address (more and more research on) both historical and existing societies based on matriarchal principles in order to gain wisdom from ancient futures and create alternatives for a just society where people have enough. We are in a unique situation where science and technology has leapt abound. How can we make a synthesis with traditional matriarchal principles and modern science and technology for the benefit of humans and nature? This needs to be explored further by matriarchal researchers. An important book, indeed!
