Artifact 2: The effect gender has on roles in traditional societies, and how traditions have changed

The traditional culture of Tonga, located in the Polynesian islands in the South Pacific, have functioned under patrilineal kinship and production modes including horticulture, fishing, and agriculture. Gender impacted the roles men and women could play in society. For the most part, women’s rights were undermined, especially after the culture began contact and trade with Europeans. Before interacting with the Europeans, men and women both had balance in the society, along with independence in sexuality, marriage, and divorce. All people were treated with respect and violence, rape was rare, and premarital sex was normal.

In this society, everything was based off of rank, and men as well as women could hold rank. Seniority, gender, and sisterhood were the three main principles that affected rank. A man would outrank a woman, but a sister and her family would outrank a brother and his family, even though the society was patrilineal. Women produced valuables that allowed them to have authority in social, economic, and political matters. The products manufactured by men were considered less valuable, and men also did the cooking, a job of low prestige.

The idea of sisterhood and rights for women were held high in the Tonga society. The rights of a sister, known as Fahu, allowed for women to have great authority within the family and culture. However, these rights were legally banned after contact with Europeans. Women soon became the farmers and the cooks when their manufactured products were no longer needed when products were imported from the outside. There was a shift of dependence for wives onto their husbands, men received all rights of land, women could no longer inherit chiefly titles, and premarital sex became punishable by law.

In comparison to the patrilineal society of Tonga, the Mosuo of China lived through a true matrilineal culture, meaning descent was traced through females rather than males. Women were valued more as more capable in all aspects. Traditionally, sex was kept separate from the household. In tiesese, also referred to as a “walking marriage” women would be visited by men to satisfy reproduction and desire needs. While children would typically know their birth father, their uncle on their mom’s side would act as their prominent father figure. Several generations of a family filled a house, as sons would stay with mothers.

The Mosuo of China, like the Tonga, has been changed by the influence of modern times. Tiesese’s popularity has decreased, as marriage and love has become more appealing. These traditional structure of this culture has survived for hundreds of years, but has relied on the lack of moving around. With people traveling for jobs and money and marrying outside of the culture, the Mosuo of China have to adapt to the present in order to keep as much of their culture alive as they can.

Reflective Tag: Men and women typically have different roles in society, with different expectations and purposes. It is interesting that as times become more recent, it seems, women have become more and more suppressed and undermined.