Paper short abstract:

Matriliny is regarded as both empowering and disempowering. This paper examines the attitudes of male and female members of selected matrilineal descents in Ghana. The language in which these attitudes are expressed by male and female members is also potentially revealing.

Paper long abstract:

Matriliny is usually regarded as descent from the mother line or female ancestors. In many parts of Ghana, matriliny forms the basis of inheritance, succession and even citizenship (which was why, for example, a J.J. Rawlings with a Scottish father could become head of state in the country by virtue of his mother’s Ghanaian roots and despite a citizenship suit to stop his presidential election bid). Matriliny is therefore seen as empowering for women. However, matriliny has its downsides, including the eruption of tension between male and female members of a specific matriliny. On the one hand, there is the general idea that matrilineal arrangements may not be as economically or politically impactful for the ordinary woman. On the other hand, the arrangement is sometimes perceived as favouring males more than females of the matriliny. This paper employs the instrumentality of questionnaires and interviews to examine attitudes to this apparent discrepancy in expectations and realities of matrimony. The language in which this discontent is expressed is also of interest to the paper. We examine the attitudes of subjects of matriliny and the language of this subject between male and female members of specific matrilineal descents in Ghana.