[Glorantha] Re: Grandmother, a patriarchal concept?

From: Orlanth Umathi <orlanth.umathi>
Date: Wed Jul 5 14:00:25 2006

Donald R. Oddy wrote:
> In message <44AA7DD6.7080800@blueyonder.co.uk> Orlanth Umathi writes:
>

>> I think a matriarch will be inherently nurturing and inclusive and 
>> unlikely to penalise those who don't know their parents. 

>
> What sexist rubbish! Women are no more "inherently nuturing and
> inclusive" then men. To the extent this happens in the RW it is
> a result of cultural expectations.

It depends on the social structure, if your family group is about group responsibility for parenthood, strong sibling and cousin role models and wide family structures then the framework is potentially a more nurturing one. Its not a simple female = nurture.

I am trying to pull away from our current ideas on sex roles, not reinforce them, but the role of a family is partly to nurture, if a wide number of people are focused on a group responsibility of family care that in my view is a greater emphasis on nurturing (for better or worse).

>> Your idea Seems like a reverse concept of bastard to me (ie skewed 
>> by trying to hold up a mirror and then extrapolating).

>
> It may seem like it but I'm not trying to to mirror anything. I'm
> considering the effect of a highly structured society which places
> great importance on maternal ancestory. If maternal ancestory is
> what holds the society together those whose ancestory is unknown
> or disreputable are going to be on the bottom.
>

But will they actually place emphasis on this direct form of ancestry? This is my whole point, different family build = different concept of family. Mother is not necessarily the strongest bond in a maternal group. If your Aunt is older than your mother (or possibly has had children first, depending on outlook) she may be the one who instils discipline or makes decisions on your behalf.

Sure she is still your gran's daughter, but your gran's sister in turn may be the head of the group.

Maternal ancestry is not just a mirror of paternal ancestry. You might quote your lineage as:

I am Ria
Daughter of Glenda
Niece of Glenna
Who's Aunt is Helen the Green, Matriarch of our Clan.

In this structure your brother, sisters and cousins have a roughly equal standing, and so, I propose, would an adopted child. Received on Wed 05 Jul 2006 - 13:23:44 EEST

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