India’s ‘Kingdom Of Girls’: A Lensed Look At Mawlynnong Khasis’ Matrilineal System

Mawlynnong is no stranger to national and international intrigue thanks to the scenic tourist attractions on offer such as its living root bridges and being dubbed the ‘cleanest village in Asia’. But what few have reported is the unique social system which exists among the Khasi tribe of the village which lies in contravention of the mainstream position of Indian society – a society where women’s roles and positioning within societal structures are seemingly superior to men’s.

In the Khasi matrilineal system, the youngest daughter often inherits the property, the children take their mother’s maiden name, a man will move into the mother-in-law’s house and does not necessarily have properties in his name. We had offered a peak into the Khasi culture while covering India’s unique tribes and now Berlin-based photographer Karolin Klüppell has captured slices of daily lives of the Khasi. “To disrespect a woman in this culture means to harm the society. Daughters are often more wanted than boys, and a family with just sons is considered to be miserable, because only daughters can assure the continuity of a clan. I decided to make a portrait series of the girls because I was so impressed by their self-assured appearance and thought that this must be how matriliny becomes visible,” said the photographer who was impressed by her encounters with the village. As such, she created a portrait series which she believed reflected the culture in many ways though she has been clear to point out that she was not intending to document the culture, but showcase these young girls for their self-confident and powerful personalities. The system of matrilineal doesn’t ensure a total domination of local governance or politics, where men still sit at the head of the table, and are also considered the heads of the household. As such, many locals have come out in protest against this body of work, claiming it is a misrepresentation of their culture. However, a protest among Khasi men has gained foothold, where they are protesting the discrimination they face and are demanding gender equality, tells another story altogether.

Perhaps realities on ground are yet to be documented entirely accurately, preferably from a local perspective, but for now Kluppell’s images paint a rather wonderful (and idealistic) picture of a world where women truly can overcome ingrained inequalities and feel as intrinsically entitled to equality in their personal lives.

Click here to see more from the series.