The terms Matriarchy (maternal rule) and Matrilineality (maternal ancestry) are at times used interchangeably in popular literature to describe ancient and contemporary societies where women have greater autonomy and social standing.
This distinction between matriliny and matriarchy clears up so much confusion, thank you for laying it out with actual sources. The Herero communities I work with in Namibia are a useful footnote here: descent is reckoned through both lines at once, with ritual duties following the patrilineal oruzo and most cattle wealth moving through the matrilineal eanda. Double descent systems like that are impossible to place on any ladder from mother-right to father-right, which is one more reason the old stage theories collapsed.
Thank you too. It seems many communities recognise a dual descent system with both matrilineal and patrilineal lineages governing only a portion of the laws on the succession of titles and wealth. This is the case even among communities that are perceived to be historically patrilineal (and patriarchal), eg the muslims of the Comoros archipelago, where the maternal lineage is considered equally if not more important than the patrilineage.
This distinction between matriliny and matriarchy clears up so much confusion, thank you for laying it out with actual sources. The Herero communities I work with in Namibia are a useful footnote here: descent is reckoned through both lines at once, with ritual duties following the patrilineal oruzo and most cattle wealth moving through the matrilineal eanda. Double descent systems like that are impossible to place on any ladder from mother-right to father-right, which is one more reason the old stage theories collapsed.
Thank you too. It seems many communities recognise a dual descent system with both matrilineal and patrilineal lineages governing only a portion of the laws on the succession of titles and wealth. This is the case even among communities that are perceived to be historically patrilineal (and patriarchal), eg the muslims of the Comoros archipelago, where the maternal lineage is considered equally if not more important than the patrilineage.