Discovering matrilineal societies

Audio 48:29

What is the definition of a matrilineal society?

© Nadia FERROUKHI / Albin Michel

By: Chantal Lorho Follow

1 min

The Moso in China, the Zapothèques in Mexico, the Minangkabau in Indonesia, the Umoja village in Kenya ... On all continents, there are societies where women are at the center of kinship without dominating. 

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Each of these communities has its own functioning or its own rituals, and men are not necessarily absent, but women play an important role in economic, social and sometimes political decisions.

They pass on the name and property of their lineage.

How do these matrilineal societies work?

How many are there around the world?

Are they more egalitarian than patriarchal societies?   

With : 

- Nadia Ferroukhi,

reporter-photographer.

A book 

 retraces his work at the heart of matrilineal societies

- Sophie Blanchy

ethnologist specializing in the anthropological study of the populations of the Comoros Archipelago and Madagascar.

At the end of the program, a report by 

in La

des femmes battantes, a social caterer that aims to emancipate precarious women through cooking.

The idea, supported by two of the co-founders, Tarik and Luca: to encourage these women to start a self-managed professional activity and to support them in their administrative procedures.

Our reporter takes us to the kitchen of the “Nout” theater, on Île-Saint-Denis, where we get busy in the kitchen to prepare a meal for 300 people. 

Report by Charlie Dupiot in the Cantine des Femmes Battantes

Musical programming:

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- Adèle 

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- Dadju, Anitta

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