Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-15
LAND WHERE WOMEN RULE.
Nafrs of India Declared the Worlds
Most Perfect Race.
From the Chicago Tribune

Members of the Central Counties Wo-
mans Suffrage Association have sailed
from England to investigate and report 10
ther association on system of govern
ment IN which the mother Is the head of
the family and the recognized ruler
They are bound for India, to inquire into
the workings Of the system which for GEN.
turtles has been in existence among the
Nairs, one of the highest caste and excIu-
siVe tribes of all India, where maternity
counts for everything and paternity for
practically nothing. They propose TO In
Vestigate thoroughly this system. and If its
workings are found satisfactory. to urge
lis establishment in England and through
out the world, reiegating man 10 the back
ground and raising woman TO her proner
sphere-in short, claiming for womankind
the right 10 rule that they think belongs
10 ner because of her function in the es-
lapllshment of the human race
The Nairs, among whom the midland
counties women will conduct their investi-
CATION live along the coast of the Indian
ocean. from Cape Comorin northward to
Mahsalore, and they are the arstocrats of
the tribes. They are proud: they are
strong, despising wounds, scorning weak
ness, and they are declared by students
10 De the most nearly perfect race physi-
cally in all the world-graceful, agile hand
some, chivaIrous, brave. Honor and gal
lantry! Love and battle! These are their
devices.
Christian and Mussulman have come and
won at many points along the coast from
the Chats to the ocean, but the institute
or the matriarchate has remained un-
shaken. The Mussulmans have adopted the
system after intermarrying and recognized
the inheritance In the female line estab-
nshlng the mother and the maternal uncle
as the heads of the family
In the beginning of course, the women
belonged to the males of the tribe without
distinction.
through the fancies of the women-which
We're few-or the feats of arms of the
males themselves, who fought for the IA
Vors OF the women. The women selected
and selected the strongest and best men
and the result is shown by the testimony
OF students that the physical perfection of
the race Is unequaled. The newly married
man drops his own name, accepts the name
of the woman he weds, turns over all his
property to her and asks only support, the
privilege of working for the support of
the family and to be suitably Inferred.
Girls are desired by all families The
wealthy girls never lack partners. They
can choose. and the chosen one goes 10
live with his mother-in-law, to become
member of her family and TO obey her
rule. With the Nairs freedom for women
begins with marriage. Until she Is mar
ried girl is nothing. and she marries at
the age OF twelve and then becomes free
She may dismiss her husband at once If
she go chooses. but being a married wo-
man she Is at liberty to do as she pleases
The system of inheritance is an interest
ing one. The property descends by zgZag
lines from mother to daughter. from the
uncle to the eldest sisters children.
The rule of the mother. the practical ig-
noring of the father, extends from palace
to howell 1t is the worlds last survival
of a system declared to have been once the
general law of the world-the recognition
of the mother as the real creator of the
races and the rightful ruler. and the rec
ognition of the father, If recognized at ALL
as mere supplemental organism.
The brothers obey unquestioningly their
elder sister and respect their younger sis
tiers. The sons are not obliged to remain
under the roofs of their mothers home, but
are permitted 10 set up establishments of
their own, taking with them one OF their
sisters, who by that act becomes the ruler
of the new household. If the son marries
the wife owes obedience to her sister-in-
law, and IL strife arises the husband must
stand by his sister against his wife. and his
wife, In her turn, will give up her husband
or sacrifice him in any way to her own
brother Conjugal love Is a light thing,
but brothers and sisters remain steadfaSt
to each other.
The Brahmns and Nairs mingled together
and found in the matriarchate the solution
of their caste problem. The Brahmins, be-
cause of their claims TO high caste, could
not take the Nairs as wives, but. as the
Nairs only acknowledge the mother, the
Brahmins supplied the fathers. Indifferent
TO paternity. of which they are ignorant,
the Nairs accepted the arrangement, which
has continued ever since.
The effect of the matriarchate system on
the peace of the land has been wonderful,
and II is noticeable that in Malabar peace
reigns During the centuries that the pat
ronymic dynasties have been torn to pieces
by wars and internal dissension In which
brothers have slaughtered brothers and
sons rebelled against fathers in all parts
of India there has been peace and plenty
and good will among these peoples who are
ruled by their mothers.