The Women's Kingdom

"The Women's Kingdom" takes you inside one of the world's last remaining matriarchal societies.
The Mosuo women of southwest China belong to a small ethnic minority that live beyond the strictures of mainstream Chinese culture. Mosuo women don't marry in the traditional sense. They practice what they call a "walking marriage" in which a woman may invite a man to spend the night but he has to leave her house by daybreak. Any resulting children are raised by the woman and her family.
This excerpt from the film by Xiaoli Zhou and Brent E. Huffman introduces a particularly memorable, outspoken member of the Mosuo and examines the effects of tourism on this unique society.
For more information visit:
www.germancamera.com/the-women...
For more great stories, subscribe to The I Files: goo.gl/0Bc68
JOIN THE CONVERSATION ONLINE:
Like The I Files on Facebook: theifiles
Follow on Twitter: / ifiles
Reblog on Tumblr: / theifiles
Repin on Pinterest: / theifiles
+1 on Google+: gplus.to/ifiles

[@MsIthinkthereforeIam]

Do you really think you're attractive?? Haha she's brilliant!

[@JR1481M1]

I want to be her best friend. She seems like a fun and interesting person to know.

[@LordInit]

You people are so ignorant. The Mosuo people preserve a very ancient form of society perhaps the oldest in the world-- where families are not based on love matches or paternity but upon kinship of the mother. The women are not "prostitutes" or "booty calls" because such concepts come from male dominated notions of women as sex objects. On the contrary these are free women who can have relations with any man (men) they want because their children trace descent from mothers and not fathers. Though despite the feminist fantasy men still play an important role as protectors and aiding in providing. The father figure of the children are the maternal uncles or brothers of the mothers.

[@GabrielTheMagolorMain]

Thanks for the information! And it sounds like heaven to me :)

[@LordInit]

Michelle Jewell Actually that is another misconception. Men still do work like farming and tending to livestock to contribute to their clan households; however women are expected to be the main providers. In patriarchal societies men are the primary, if not sole providers of the households and thus do all the work. A Mosuo woman might find patriarchy appealing if she thinks that it only means she can be "barefoot and pregnant" without a care in the world while the man does all the work. However, the Mosuo are aware that women in such societies are really not free at all and are controlled by men. Feminists and other groups often complain about their "rights" while they fail to recognize that with rights come responsibility.

[@michellejewell9859]

LordInit yeah right. Everything I have seen benefits only or mostly men. No wonder this system has abandoned world wide. In no feminist fan, who knows me can attest that Im the most anti feminist gal on the planet. However I have to rebut your statement. Most or if not all feminists knows or accept the responsibilities that comes with "rights" and equal treatment. Have a nice day.

[@LordInit]

Michelle Jewell And you base "everything you have seen" on what?.. A few youtube videos?? Have you seen any full documentaries by ethnologists, or better yet lived among the people?? How do men mostly or only benefit when family property is controlled by women and passed exclusively to daughters, and every major political decision must come from matriarchs, and even the native religions are dominated by goddess cults presided mainly by women? Oh yeah, and even though there is no sexual double-standard with female promiscuity being normal, the man must prove his worth to each and every female before he is accepted as a lover while the female does nothing for him but allow him in her bed. You are obviously not aware that in some matrix societies like the Khasi and Jaintia of northeast India, there is a 'masculinist' movement with 'Men's Rights' organizations where men demand "equal rights" and an end to "female oppression"! LOL Also, you are definitely ignorant about world history if you think the matrix systems were voluntarily "abandoned" by the natives instead of being infiltrated and outright conquered by militarily more powerful patriarchal cultures. Such was the cultural pattern that has repeated throughout history and was especially accelerated by those patriarchal cultures that were imperialistic. The majority of Native American nations and tribes in North America were matrix until white colonialism for example, and anthropologists estimate that about 80% of the world's cultures were matrix by the 1st millennium CE. The matrix cultures of North Africa were all but eradicated by Arab Islamic culture, while the matrix cultures of Europe were totally wiped out by the Roman-Christian feudal culture. Many feminists are anti-Western because they mistakenly assume that "patriarchy" or male domination is European cultural heritage only. You yourself are a white woman of European heritage, but did you know that by the end of the Roman Empire 2-3rds of the farmland in all of Europe were originally owned by women?? It's called *cultural genocide* or _ethnocide_ and it's something that is perpetuated by imperialist cultures. And no I'm no "feminist" fan either. 'Feminism' is a social movement that was largely created in the West by white women as a way of liberating themselves from male control and gaining equal rights. But that was back then, and women in Western nations today have more rights and opportunities than they did before, which makes one wonder why feminism still exists. My original point is that there were cultures where women were never dominated or controlled by men. The Mosuo is one, another is the Bontoc of the Philippines from which my mother's family comes from which is why I tend to have a keen interest in matrix cultures and mother-right customs as well as having some historical knowledge on such.

[@michellejewell9859]

ok first, I will appreciate if you stop calling me ignorant, when you dont even know me. Meanwhile you make outlandish claims out of the blue by yourself. There is no evidence of widespread ancient matriarchies around the world ( no women did not own all the land in Europe, please) and I know what happen to the natives since I live in this damn country. Show me some sources an give me names, rather than just claim this and that. Hello, Im not born yesterday. I saw this documentary and at the least the Mosuo is pure BALLS. Beside Im a egalitarian and a mono gendered hegemony is to limiting so its pure crap to me. However I am a western gal, I hate spiders I play computer games and I dont go along with other women, not to mention I hate my mother. I dont fit in any matrifocal/matriarchal society. When the feminist arouse (suffragettes/first wave) patriarchy in the west was already dyeing, partially because of the industrial revolution and partially because of WWI. If patriarchy was still strong, with hell they could get anything. The majority of western feminist are middle class privileged white women. Other groups are trying to take over, because frankly those bitches are to embarrassing even for the feminists. You wonder why they still exists? because people with power, men or women, love power and they want more. So it will not be easy to get rid of them.

[@dicksmashermicrocock7984]

"Do you really think you are very attractive?, are you all that great? then they will shut up " This woman is a straight up savage!

[@BL-sd2qw]

I love these kinds of documentaries about matriarchies! They are all so peaceful and incredible, imo

[@alphaomg4626]

That girl is beautiful

[@johnsinger9156]

No kidding.

[@jadeyunetdicaprio5754]

That’s the only thing you look at? Really? How disrespectful!

[@starmaster191]

Yes, she is.

[@matthios51]

In America the divorce rate is between 60-70%. I think these people have something, I like the way the mother and other family members help raise the children.

[@AsianSatire]

I love reading the captions.

[@huyvlam]

Like her free spirit and carefree attitude. She seems like a cool chick.

[@o0sunsi0o]

No marriage contract sounds appealing.

[@jaquel8380]

I realy love this.

[@bluecollarlit]

Now, THAT was interesting.

[@mmm_8318]

This film is about 20 minutes long. Where's the rest of it?

[@AstandsforAlex]

are the cowboy hants from their dancing cermonies influenced by western culture?

[@andante649]

I am responding not so much to the film, but the title. How can it be a kingdom if there are no kings? Should this not be referred to as a Queendom? (Queens domain). Or perhaps Queensland?

[@purealba01]

I don't think it's our right to judge a people who choose to live their life as they see fit, and vice versa.. What you see as restriction, they see as independence.. I think a group of women is very capabale of raisng their own children, taking care of their homes, as well as working outside of their homes.. Clearly it's entirely possible, otherwise the tradition wouldn't have lasted as long as it has.. I think it's only fair to state that it's simply a difference of opinion, nothing more.

[@pahtashow]

variable-sweep

[@jaky411]

I think the women in this culture have also managed and succeeded in taking on both traditionally masculine and feminine roles due to strong sisterhood and female friendships that many western cultures in a way have failed to do so because of things like envy, jealousy, and competition amongst other western women.

[@dorobee]

Lol "are you all that great?" Some tourists think they are "available women". Looking at them as if they are objects. They don't realise that they in different land now.

[@alessiotisi774]

What a series of bullshit, You Need to study, mosuo culturs Is dead

[@dafyddil]

So you basically found real-life Mulan

[@made432]

can we get an update on Chacuo? How is she?

[@lunaflamed]

Yes,and the others who were Interviewed!

[@serahsangma1145]

Im from northeast, india n our society is also matrilineal but only the properties goes to women but there is reason..... We follow matrilineal society in order to protect the women and to protect our community.....

[@gonyabincineproduction3642]

Intresting

[@aleks8077]

Watching for AP(History)Workbook..skl ..

[@mikaylabansie9512]

Yup, it's cool

[@RT-su1bl]

As from my experience in Khasi society, mother’s brothers are very influential. What would you prefer, being under the rule of a husband whom you chose yourself (and whom you can divorce) or an uncle with whom you are stuck forever?

[@vacaspen5038]

Good for them good for humanity

[@babyjesusst7910]

Powerful

[@acen7190]

Who else wants to try the walking marriage 🚶

[@mankhrawbornongrum1213]

She 's totally look like a khasi lady👍👍

[@itelephone8796]

Omg, where is my passport, where is my passport??

[@maytalacedo2942]

this is interesting culture and how they deal with love and marriage.

[@mingzhong9358]

They have not marriage only love

[@altanphedap6361]

There was Osho an enlightened person who talks such kind of environment. But he never found unmarried society like this 😂😂😂

[@gemini1123]

HeLLo algorithm let’s get this one tReNdinG at the top of everyOne’S pages!! 😄 I just love this concept the matriarchy matrilineal society so much ❤

[@clockworkclockwisepro4925]

This might be the best way.

[@phrangwarlarpih9821]

These people are like our khasi people

[@andrewschelb5630]

Are they excepting foreigners??

[@tenzin__rafcl_067]

Moshok word may come from budhist text. Motsok means group of women in tibetan budhist languge.

[@einodebmiel4050]

You know nothing

[@sonam1959_]

no it does not, I speak fluent Tibetan

[@HamdiEskavis]

there are many similiar between MOSUO and MINANGKABAU (clan in WEST SUMATRA, INDONESIA) try searching

[@zelina364]

No,minangkabu not have walking marriage. They are only matrilineal society

[@tamukozing5666]

tourist came for love opportunity😆

[@henrylouis5328]

Arunachal Daily don’t you mean one night stand

[@darmikisten6129]

Every society is unique

[@Pulaco.Dimantag]

She cute

[@MrCartoonsShow]

maah

Seeems like a hood way to live for WOMEN

[@antoniescargo1529]

They live in a Kingdom. 😅

[@purealba01]

Who's to say it isn't difficult or demanding enough already? We haven't lived their lives, and they haven't lived ours, so I don't think it fair to assume such things about them.

[@henrylouis5328]

Chinese amazon

[@purealba01]

I'm not so sure I agree. That is something only time will be able to tell.

[@cornerbandit]

call it whatever you want...3 billion years of the planets evolution and men & women are still needed together to create babies. It seems co-operation is the best ideology.

[@richardschessworld]

农村本来生活也简单 踏踏实实过日子也挺好的

[@bd1290]

Holy shit a real amazon

[@JustForfun-ok4ed]

What if a couple have same father which means they are brother and sister.

[@ichanurhayati9004]

The high powers is women. They can run this world well. They are carefully, smoothly and beautiful

[@Angelique_psy.transpersonnelle]

Originally from Tibet

[@Typhoon911]

Lugu Lake is near the border of Tibet.

[@sonam1959_]

NO they are not, stop spreading false information

[@sonam1959_]

@@Typhoon911 No it is not, quite far actually

[@Typhoon911]

@@sonam1959_ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosuo_women

[@JD_Awesome]

Free tibet

[@PrivateAckbar]

Question to my fellow men: how would you feel about this? I think i wan't kids, but i think i'm really terrified of marriage.

[@seculair7564]

@A loud Italian You can also have multiple partners.

[@Unknownplsyer]

@A loud Italian backwards? This is the 21st century

[@pahtashow]

Serial monogamy, hypergamy. Woman is the same across all cultures. Some cultures controlling these female features some not.

[@Niko-lm3mb]

Sex without obligation. Perfec

[@ankuryadav1615]

how they survived from so called "chines cultural revolution "?

[@angelecarb9312]

Location maybe..

[@sonam1959_]

Because they are han Chinese related people, it's us tibetans and uyghurs who are suffering

[@SylkaChan]

Shangri-Las look like ultra-Naxi and Lemurians look ultra-Japanese. That is partly why Lemurian girls are much more attractive than Shangri-La girls.

[@RT-su1bl]

Careful: Matrilineal and Matrilocal societies are not necessarily matriarchal. As of present anthropological research there is no matriarchal society (and I lived one year among the Khasis, a matrilineal and matrilocal society in India). It would be interesting to study the influence of the mother’s brother in the Mosuo society.

[@ThePagoy]

I can handle that lady for a long cold night.

[@MsIthinkthereforeIam]

Do you really think you're attractive?? 😂

[@Borjaa24]

Here cause Socio...

[@coachdebruyns]

There's a reason why there aren't more societies like this one. It doesn't work. In the full documentary many women complained and said they want to marry Han men who will take care of them. You see, matriachy only benefits people who want hundreds of sexual partners and then are forced to deal the consequences of their actions. In patriarchal societies polygynous men had to look after their women children. Hence, they had to limit themselves regarding how many women they sleep with because society held them to account. Chastity is a patriarchal construct.

[@bluewren65]

Sorry, in which society are men held to account for their adultery? I don't recall any "honour" killings of men.

[@coachdebruyns]

@@bluewren65 right, you don't recall...

[@AZ-sh2zx]

Wrong on all counts. How can you say it doesn’t work when it’s been in existence for over 2000 years? That’s as long if not longer than the Roman Empire. The desire to marry Han men who will “take care of them” is a fantasy created by TV, their recent access to internet and outside cultural influence. They will soon find out by hard experience what a bad idea this is when they experience domestic violence and are all alone in the household without their blood family memebers to protect them. In addition, they will get a BIG wake up call when they find themselves having to work both inside and outside the home without the help of their female family members like many women in the west and east do. If you calculate the hours men and women work inside and outside the home combined, women work more. So that whole “men will take care of us” fantasy will soon end. Finally, there is no diving responsibility for children here at all. You may not as a man take care of your biological children but as they clearly said you will take care of the children your female family members have so in the end it balances out and all men have to take care of at least on each child. Unlike in this patriarchal society where deadbeat dads are a thing. They don’t look after their children nor there female family members children. It’s in this society where it’s truly possible for men to not take care out the outcome of their lovemaking not that one.

[@lunaflamed]

You come across as bitter.

[@questioneverything2]

How Ironic, " A Women's Kingdom" shouldn't it read a "The Woman's Queendumb"? ahh I mean "The Woman Queendom"

[@anantpatil289]

Emma Frost shut the fuck of feminist bitch.

[@davidlau83]

This tribe has a unique way of living please don’t criticize them.there must be a reason that make them live the way there are try to be more educated cunts

[@pranavkumar2008]

@@anantpatil289 shut the fuck up you disgraceful sperm

[@henrylouis5328]

Lmfao this comment section is too fucking hilarious

[@jozebutinar44]

This are the people who have no morality at all

[@questioneverything2]

Civilized? I guess one needs to define civilized. If shitting in a hole and having no running water has nothing to do with being civilized then you are right.

[@MatirManush-wu9cc]

It is not right. You broke the hearts of so many young men. You believe in walking marriage. That means you don't have any commitment. With this philosophy why don't you give a chance to the young men who ask you for a walking marriage. May be you will like one of them.

[@akashv8806]

Desperate Simp.. lol