It seems to me that African American culture has developed a sort of pseudo-patriarchy to disguise the fact that it is and has been dominated by women. From what I've noticed mothers play a much larger authoritative role in African American families than fathers even when fathers are present in the household. The African American family is more often than not centered around a "Big Mama" like person who is an elder female within the family. She is expected to offer guidance and wisdom when asked and be strong enough to stand up for and protect her family when she needs to. Her say is final. Which is why media like Tyler Perry's character Madea is so relatable to many black families. I'm thinking of actually researching and writing on the subject of cultures that live by the "rule of the mother". My question is: Do you know of any other cultures that have a "Big Mama" or some other female that is similar? Perhaps even in your own family or families that you know?
The Native Americans, in many tribes, had a female as the person in charge of it. I do not know for certain if this is still the case today however.
That's interesting. It seems that mothers can and will play a significant authoritative role in the family circle. I'm not sure that it is a cultural thing and it might be significant across the board. I know that in my family both my wife and I share the responsibility, each taking the time tobe a parent. It seems to me that my parents operated the same way--the load never fell on one or the others shoulders alone.
The supposition that black mothers are more prominent parents than say, a white mother is a slippery slope...
The destruction of fatherhood, as a cultural role and institution among black people, was a feature of slavery and a legacy of the Jim Crow years. Black culture and family institutional practice in the US has had to develop in the absence of what white cultures assume from adult men, for three hundred years. The cultural response, or hangover, remains, for good or ill.
I have an impression it was because for many years black women were more likely to get hired-as housekeepers, than black men were to be hired-as laborers...and it's kind of a holdover in attitude from that time-the 20's and 30's...when among urban black women, a guy was more likely to end up being a financial burden than a help to her. Not that most men would do housework at that time, feminism not exactly being an overwhelming thing yet.. So a man was strictly a burden in many cases, and rather likely to get kicked to the curb, because, well, when you're poor, you argue and stress a lot. No data to back that up other than having read some of Zora Neale Hurston's writings on Black Harlem in the 1920's-and not recently. (Harlem tradition: Pot parties to make rent) I suspect there's little sociological documentation out there to back this semi-educated guess of mine. There's an Indonesian culture- the Minangkabau-Islamic even, that's matriarchal...although it's the men that do the trading and traveling... As I understand it, though, the women own everything. The men just go out and represent. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-05/uop-imm050902.php Oh, one more thing-the Iroquois-from whom we got some of our government structure (USA), well, the governing council members were all men...but the electors were all women, and they could vote to recall any chief at any time...so the women were pretty important. The women also did all the farming, which is why the colonists' attempted enslaving of Iroquois men to work the settler's fields failed spectacularly.
There is the Mosuo in China, its much much more matriarchal than the african-american family. I would go as far to say its a complete reversal of patriarchy in every social and economic terms possible: Around a great lake in the mountains of Southwest China lives a matriarchal group called Mosuo. As part of the Naxi ethnic minority -- one of China's 55 ethnic minorities -- to date, the matriarchal system is still practiced in some villages. Grandma Heads the Family Although the size of a Mosuo family varies, it usually consists of around 10 people. While some families may comprise as many as 20 or 30 members, every family is always led by a female. The head is the most capable woman in the family and is highly respected by other members. She has both an honorary status and important responsibilities since everyone counts on her to make decisions in handling family affairs. People around Lugu Lake and the Yongning area still widely practice the Axia marriage. The traditional Axia system is marriage-free. Mosuo men call their beloved women Axia ("intimate companion") and women call their lovers Azhu. They are not bound by marriage and will live in their mothers' homes all their lives. Every adult Mosuo girl has a special Azhu house of her own where her lover can visit during the night but must leave early the next morning. If the girl wishes to stop the love affair she simply closes the door and then the man will not return. The lovers have no economic or legal ties: Their relationship is based only on mutual love and affection, where the will of the female is highly respected. If children are born into the family, they belong exclusively to the mother's side and inherit her surname. They are raised with their mother and uncles and are not introduced to their father until their adult ceremony. Since women serve as the heads of the families, they are in charge of most of the work and handle property matters, while uncles look after the boys. Such a blood-based connection may prove to be more stable than the love-based marriage of duty. Thus, every family is harmonious and united. http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_curiosity/2004-05/11/content_47041_2.htm
That is a reason I believe that the Asians were the first peoples who came to North America for if you look at Native Americans they seem to have an Asian look about them. I wonder if DNA samples were done and this ever validated?
