In rural areas, there is a concerning pattern of youngest daughters inheriting large tracts of land and agricultural resources, only to gradually sell them off for profitable business ventures orchestrated by unscrupulous partners. This often results in the depletion of ancestral properties and a descent into immoral, unsustainable lifestyles, sometimes leading to tragic outcomes. Such actions have led to the wastage of significant local resources, with little protective oversight, which was once the responsibility of maternal uncles.
These occurrences reflect a degradation of traditional values exacerbated by careless interpretations of Khasi customary laws by British colonial authorities. To address this, there is a call to revitalise and empower the institution of the maternal uncle, restoring their role as supreme authority in consultation with family councils to prevent further erosion of traditional norms.
It’s worth noting that there are also men whose irresponsible behavior contributes to the decline of social and cultural values, though their impact may not be as directly linked to property loss. However, there is a growing recognition among older parents of the shortcomings in the matrilineal system as interpreted by colonial rulers. Some urban families are now entrusting property responsibilities to sons, which have shown promise in ensuring support for aging parents.
While this shift may improve the economic standing of the community, there remains a need to address social and cultural challenges within the matrilineal system. Both tangible and intangible cultural assets must be safeguarded to ensure the long-term prosperity of the community. This requires a nuanced approach that balances economic advancement with the preservation of cultural heritage.
THE SOCIO-POLITICAL CHANGES
The prevalence of patriarchal culture worldwide has left scant remnants of matrilineal cultures in certain regions. One could surmise that, throughout history, natural forces facilitated human habitation within specific spaces under the custody of mothers, while male clan members protected the domestic sphere under the eldest uncle’s guidance. Mothers were responsible for the constant care of their offspring and clan members, whereas fathers’ involvement varied.
Unlike other creatures, humans exhibit a conscience toward fellow humans’ moral conduct, despite sharing the capacity for emotional expression. Maternal instincts naturally deter sexual relationships within the clan, leading to taboos against incest. Thus, the family’s core is the mother, the custodian along with other female members, settling in the domestic sphere to safeguard against potential cosmic energies harmful to female reproduction.
Female development from infancy to puberty is viewed as a biological process. From puberty onward, females rely on the lunar menstruation cycle for womb cleansing until engaging in sexual activity, while males experience continuous physical growth until reaching reproductive maturity. Male clan members typically return home after collecting essentials, occasionally mating with females from other clans, shaping a community-based social reproduction system.
Over time, community interrelationships evolved into kinship structures, with males encouraged to establish mutual relationships with females from other clans. This practice laid the foundation for matrilineal cultures, such as that of the Khasi people. In Khasi culture, the family’s core is symbolised by the hearth, represented by three hearthstones signifying the ancestress (ïawbei), ancestor (thawlang), and maternal uncle (suitnia), embodying the mother, father, and maternal lineage, respectively. This hearth serves as a symbol of warmth where myths, legends, and folklore weave cultural narratives about traditional values, laying the foundation of a Khasi family.
The traditional roles of men and women in society have led to a historical imbalance of power, with men typically venturing beyond their territories while women remain within their domestic spheres. This dynamic has empowered men and perpetuated misogyny, leading to male dominance over familial and societal affairs. However, in Khasi society, individuals are not strictly identified by gender in the material world, and women have the freedom to pursue their destinies outside the domestic realm.
Historical examples, such as Ka Pahsyntiew, Ka Li Dakha, Ka Syiem Latympang, and Ka Ïang Langdoh, highlight women’s intellectual prowess and their role in governing community affairs. While conventionally women tend to remain within the domestic domain and men engage in external activities, the mother often acts as the priestess for family religious matters, while the uncle assumes the role of priest for affairs outside the domestic sphere.
THE SOCIO-CULTURAL CHANGES
Over time, the Khasi society established a formal family council and instituted various social and cultural norms, including rites of passage, ethical codes of conduct (akor), and the land tenure system. Notably, these changes reflect the matrilineal system’s influence.
During infant births, distinct formalities are observed for boys and girls, involving the participation of both maternal and paternal families in initiation and naming ceremonies. Boys typically receive symbolic items such as a bow and arrows, symbolising protection, while girls receive tools associated with domestic and farming activities, such as a bamboo cone basket and machete. A crucial aspect of these ceremonies is the endorsement by the paternal mother, symbolising the clan’s continuation and receiving blessings from her and all paternal aunts and uncles.
MATRIMONIAL CUSTOMS
The matrimonial customs among the Khasi community commence with match-making negotiations facilitated by the chief uncles of the bride and groom. These negotiations involve inquiries into the lineage of each clan to ensure there are no maternal relations that would violate taboos. Once the negotiations are completed, the marriage ceremony takes place at the bride’s residence, where the uncles officially declare the union. This is followed by rituals and the symbolic exchange of rings to confirm the wedding. The ceremonies vary in complexity and economic status: elaborate ceremonies dedicated to deities (synjat lator), ordinary pronouncements with symbolic presentations, and simple ring exchanges by maternal uncles.
In various regions, additional customary practices exist. In the Pnar region or Jaintia Hills, the ‘Sib Syiñ’ ceremony involves partaking a slice of ginger during the marriage ceremony. In Hima Maharam and adjacent territories, the ‘Kñia Myrnei’ ceremony officially endorses the couple’s union. These ceremonies, along with other diverse customs, form elaborate processes that prevail throughout the Khasi Jaintia Hills region. However, the matrilineal custom of matrimonial engagement and marriage procedures remains consistent across territories.
FUNERAL RITES
Upon a death in the family, it is imperative to inform the maternal family and relatives, as rituals are to be performed by the maternal clan. The deceased’s charred bones are deposited in the maternal ossuary after cremation. Female relatives engage in mourning chants and rituals led by the mother, aunts, or sisters of the deceased. Meanwhile, male relatives prepare the funeral hearse and perform cleansing rituals led by the uncle or brothers of the deceased. Placing a fowl’s egg on the navel (lengkpoh) after bathing is compulsory for significant purposes related to the afterlife.
At the cremation site, maternal male relatives sequentially light the funeral pyre under the supervision of the main celebrant, while maternal female relatives prepare betel nuts for mourners to pay tribute to the departed soul. Neighbours, friends, and acquaintances also share betel nuts with the departed soul at the pyre, symbolising sending off to eternal rest. After cremation, the charred bone remnants are collected in an earthen pot and kept in the deceased’s stone cist (mawshyieng) before the final ceremony of depositing them in the maternal ancestral ossuary (mawbah). The founding principle is to ensure both the living and departed souls remain under the custody of the ancestral mother.
