Headship Influence on Population Structure in Khasi Matriarchal Society

 

Varsha Singh, Benrithung Murry*

Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi-11007, India

 

ABSTRACT:

This study highlights the influence of male and female headship is Khasi matrilineal society of Meghalaya, India. Age-specific population distribution and pyramid are measured to understand the age and sex-structure existing at both population, regional and national level. Population structure can have considerable impact on the population’s current and future social and economic situation. A total of 528 households were studied through purposive sampling using pre-tested modified demographic schedule. The total sex-ratio of the Khasi was found to be 1170 and that of children population is 1020, both of which are much higher that of northeast India and national average. Female headed households are found to be more prevalent in the population. About two-third of the total population are found to be headed by females. Sex-wise comparison was also made in education, occupation and decision making. It was found that female dominates in higher education and professional pursuits. More than half of the males were found as unemployed in female headed households. The household headship type is found to be having statistically significant influence on education, occupation and decision making such as custody of children, education of children, marriage and domestic purchases. It is also observed that the gender based headship largely defines the demographic characteristic in this matrilineal population.

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Age-sex-specific estimates of population are bedrock of epidemiological and economic analyses, and they are integral to planning across several sectors of society. As the denominator for most indicators, such estimates permeate every aspect of our understanding of health and development. The study of the age and sex structure occupies an important place in demographic statistics. In the first place, indices of the population's age and sex structure play an important part in the plan for the development of economic and cultural life of a society¹. The age group composition of populations varies substantially across continents and within countries, and is linked to levels of development, health status and poverty.

 

The subnational variability in the shape of the population pyramid as well as the respective dependency ratio are reflective of the different levels of development of a country and are drivers for a country’s economic prospects and health burdens. The term female-headed household is used to refer two types of households: (1) those in which no adult male are present or in which women have been established as household head through some sort of family-level consensus (de jure female-headed households); and (2) those in which a majority of economic support for the household maintenance is provided by women (de facto female-headed households)^2. Other than Nayars of Kerala, from state of Meghalaya, Khasi are mainly known for their matrilineal kinship system.  Contrary to the mainstream headship pattern in India where families whether nuclear or joint are primarily headed by males or male breadwinner, the Khasi has unique matriarchal headship pattern co-existing with nominal male headship. Thus we attempted to explore the influences of matriarchy on demographic characteristic of this population.

 

Figure-1: Map of Study area (source: Harries D.B et al. 2008)³

 

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

The present study was conducted in a tribal semi-rural homogenous population of Sohrapunjee (before famously known as Cherrapunjee), Meghalaya, Northeast India. An intensive fieldwork was carried out into two phases for about nine to ten months. A total of 527 households were selected through purposive sampling using pretested demographic schedule. Data pertaining to age and sex, household composition, education, economy and other relevant information were collected. The quantitative data was analyzed using standard statistical tools in MS Excel and SPSS while qualitative data was analyzed manually.

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

Table-1 illustrates the comparison of sex-ratio across seven north-eastern states with respect to census years 2001 and 2011^4,5. It is observed that in total population category, Manipur has the highest sex-ratio with 974 and Arunachal Pradesh lowest with 897 in Census 2001 against national average of 933. In census 2011 the two extremes were again reported in Manipur (987) and Arunachal Pradesh (920). Among children population

 

the highest sex-ratio was reported in Tripura (Census 2001) and Mizoram (Census 2011) and lowest in Manipur in both census years. The national child sex-ratio was 927 (2001) and 914 (2011)^4,5. In contrast, the total sex-ratio of the Khasi was found to be 1170 with child sex-ratio of 1020 which is much higher than all the compared populations.

 

Table-1: Distribution of sex-ratio and dependency ratio

Population	Sex-ratio				Reference
INDIA	Total population		Child population in age group (0-6 years)		(Census 2001 and 2011)4,5
	2001	2011	2001	2011
	933	940	927	914
Arunachal Pradesh	893	920	964	960
Assam	935	954	964	957
Manipur	974	987	957	934
Mizoram	935	975	964	971
Nagaland	900	931	964	944
Meghalaya	948	961	966	953
Tripura	972	986	973	970
Presentstudy (khasi)	1170		1020
Khasi sex-ratio Children population (0-14 years) Economical active population (15-64 years) Aged population (65 years and above)					Present study 2306 1397 3195
Dependency ratio in Khasi Young dependency ratio (0-14 years) Old dependency ratio (15-64 years) Total dependency ratio					Present study 48.33% 5.95% 53.83%

 

This points toward existence some sort of social sex preference in a matrilineal society. In further differentiation of age-groups the sex-ratio among Khasi children population 0-14 years (2306) is more than twice as much in 0-6 years age category indicating that female child survival was twice favorable a decade ago. A similar trend is also seen in the aged i.e. 65 years and above (3195) suggesting greater longevity among females. The total dependency ratio of the Khasi is recorded at 53.83 suggesting that more than half of entire Khasi populations are economically inactive.

 

As evident from the population pyramid (fig. 2), the age group 15-19 years has highest number of persons after which the pyramid gradually tapers at both base and apex across sexes. The high frequency of children and young adult suggest that the population is growing, however, the growth trend in the last 15 years is indicative of active use of birth control measures to reduce the size of family.

 

The distribution pattern of education, occupation and decision-making with respect to the type of headship is given in table-2. The Khasis has uniquely reported high number of female headed households⁶. In the present population, about two-third of the total population is headed by female which shows their position and dominance. In terms of educational level it is seen that primary education was more prevalent in males (57.60%) than in females in female headed households and conversely, primary education of females (52.71%) is more in male headed household. This trend is continued through secondary and higher secondary education. Females predominate among graduates and professionals across both type of headship. The p-value shows a clear significant influence of headship type on education levels of the Khasis.

 

The proportion of males and females in different occupational categories across two headship types is also considered. Females constitute about three-fourth of all government employees in female headed households. Further, females are also found to be more enterprising in private sectors in both type of headships. Unlike the Indian patrilineal and patrilocal family system where a son is looked upon as the father successor, supporter of the parents in old age and performer of the parent’s death ritual^8,9 daughters in Khasi society more or less assumes the same status of a son in patriarchal society.  It has been observed that about 65% of all housewives are from male headed households, but it may be also noted that women opt to become housewives by choice in Khasi society. In daily wager category, the males are predominant in both the headship types showing lack of aspiration in males for occupational and professional pursuits. Besides the mode of inheritance and custody of children, it appears that larger part of decision making powers are in the hands of females as reported in earlier studies too that in matrilineal society men have power but inherited from women⁷.

 

Table-2: Distribution of education, occupation and various decisions with respect to headship in household

Variables	Female headed			Male headed			Chi-square
Education	Male (%)	Female (%)	Total	Male (%)	Female (%)	Total
Primary	163(57.60)	120(42.40)	283	61(47.29)	68(52.71)	129
Secondary	256(53.33)	224(46.67)	480	94(37.15)	159(62.85)	253
Higher sec.	64(53.33)	56(46.67)	120	28(28.28)	71(71.72)	99	0.000*
Undergraduate	97(51.05)	93(48.95)	190	39(35.78)	70(64.22)	109
Graduate	83(30)	03(55.38)	186	28(29.17)	68(70.83)	96
Professional	9(55)	21(70)	30	9(37.50)	15(62.50)	24
Illiterate	44(52.30)	36(45)	80	13(39.39)	20(60.61)	33
Occupation	Male (%)	Female (%)	Total	Male (%)	Female (%)	Total
Student	354(48.83)	371(51.17)	725	08(48.15)	224(51.85)	432
Govt. Employee	53(56.99)	40(43.01)	93	25.81)	23(74.19)	31
Pvt. Employee	22(34.38)	42(65.63)	64	6(23.08)	20(76.92)	26
Business	29(56.86)	22(43.14)	51	8(28.57)	20(71.43)	28
Freelancer	9(81.82)	2(18.18)	11	1(16.67)	5(83.33)	6
Daily wager	212(83.14)	43(16.86)	255	54(67.50)	26(32.50)	80
Cultivator	5(100)	0(0.00)	5	0(0.00)	0(0.00)	0
House wife	0(0.00)	83(100)	83	0(0.00)	146(100)	146
Unemployed	97(42.17)	133(57.83)	230	8(27.59)	21(72.41)	29
Retired	5(62.50)		3(37.50)	8	0(0.00)	0(0.00)	0
	Husband	Wife	Joint	Husband	Wife	Joint
Custody of children	0	291	0	0	192	0	0.000*
Child education & marriage	1	208	89	0	59	128	0.000*
Domestic purchases	0	281	4	0	18	35	0.000*

*statistically significant (P-value<0.001)

 

CONCLUSION:

The prevailing high sex-ratio indicates high status of women in social-bracket of Khasi population. Higher number of females pursuing professional courses than the males in both types of headships clearly shows female aspiration rising higher than their male counterpart. In Khasi tradition, Ka Khadduh (youngest daughter) is the custodian of the property^10.Additionally, owning of property or rule of succession is strictly matrilineal. In the present study female-headship is found to be operative at all levels. The statistically significant association of type of headship with the educational level, occupation pattern and decisions makes the Khasi society unique and in contrary to prevalent social milieu of mainstream patriarchal system. On the whole the matriarchal Khasi society affects not only demographic pattern but also suggest a kind of gender disparity in favour of the females.

 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST:

There is no Conflict of interest

 

REFERENCES:

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5.      Census of India 2011. Gender composition of population. Registrar General & Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2011.

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7.      Nongbri T. 1997. Gender and the Khasi family structure” in Patricia Uberoi Family, Kinship and Marriage in India. Delhi. Oxford University Press.

8.      Kumar DU, Ghosh BN. 2007. Status of Women in the Rural Khasi Society of Meghalaya. Proceedings of National Level Seminar on Gender Issues and Empowerment of Women Kolkata. Munich Personal RePEc Archive.

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Received on 11.05.2019         Modified on 21.05.2019

Accepted on 30.5.2019      ©AandV Publications All right reserved