Matriarchies (was Re: Simple translation exercise?)

Aquamarine Demon wrote:
> Personally, I find the idea of a matriarchy odd, since no known culture
> has truly had one.
Well, my language isn't spoken by humans.  :-)

Females are dominant in almost all Miklapan cultures.  Not because
they're physically larger, in fact, the males are rather a good deal
larger.  However, it's partially genetic.  Males have a natural
protective instinct towards the females, and especially towards the
young (the protectiveness towards the young is, in fact, so strong that
even in the most bitter of wars, the young are rarely killed, but
rather, the orphaned young are often *adopted* by the invaders).

It has a lot to do with reproduction.  Miklapan females have great
control over their reproductive systems.  A domineering male would
simply be rejected; and even if he attempted the unthinkable, rape, he
would not succeed in fertilizing her.  Thus, selection has chosen
submissive, protective, males.

Other things that helps keep the males submissive is, A) their lack of
any direct role in child-rearing (hence, young boys are brought up with
little in the way of male role models), B) the custom of males leaving
their home village at adulthood, giving them less in the way of a social
net, and C) customs and laws keeping property in the hands of the
females.

Children are raised collectively by families, with sisters and cousins
assisting in the child-rearing in a collective House.  Generally, there
are a few members of any House who do most of the duties we'd associate
with women, such as housecleaning, cooking, the bulk of child-rearing,
etc.

The men do most of the heavy physical labor, including skilled
professions such as blacksmithing.  However, the tools for such
professions are owned by the women, who lease them out to the men, and
possess the legal right to reclaim them at any time, giving them
economic power of the men.

--
"There's no such thing as 'cool'.  Everyone's just a big dork or nerd,
you just have to find people who are dorky the same way you are." -
overheard
ICQ: 18656696
AIM Screen-Name: NikTaylor42