The 'Kingdom of Women'

Thanks for sharing this post, almost too short event though I am usually trying to get through staff quickly. A brief and interest lesson on anthropology.

Interestingly Musuo also means Women in Bambara or Mande (Mandingo - the ethno-cultural meaning, the original understanding). That is the language spoken by the largest representation in West Africa where I took this birth. But to my knowledge only the Ashante, a different ethnic group represented primarily in Ghana are matriarchal generally speaking in that particular part of Africa. Of course history and time have otherwise invariably distorted narratives and behaviors.

It is also interesting that in Tibet before the Chinese invasion the customs were very similar to the content of the documentary, and it is still the case in remote places away from Chinese control. Paradoxically that is a cultural similarity to the point of the communist government.

The strength of cultural imposition on the sense of identity is mind boggling. It is mind-bending how difficult it is to even imagine some norms or values that are very distinct from the ones we happen to have adapted to at some given point and time. There seems to be constant tug of war between the sexes and apparently keeping an open if possible could sometimes make many lives much easier.