The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-09
LAND WHERE WOMEN rule.
Nairs OF India Declared the Worlds NIosi
Perfect Race.


Members OF the Central Counties Womans
| Suffrage Association, says the Chicago
Tribune. have sailed from England to
investigate and report to their association
on a system of government in which the
mother is the head of the family ard the
recognized ruler.
~They are bound for India, to inquire
into the workings of the system which for
centuries has been in existence among
the Nairs, one Of the highest caste and
exclusive tribes of all India, where mater
nifty counts for everything and paternity
for practically nothing. They propose
to investigate thoroughly this system, and
IL its workings are found satisfactory, to
urge it's establishment in England and
throughout the world RELOCATING man to
the background and raising woman to her
proper sphere-in short, claiming Tor
wornankind the right to rule that, they think
belongs to her because of her function IN
the establishment OF the human m race ei1,,n,
counties women will conduct their inves-
cations, live along the coast of the Indian
Ocean, from Cape Comorin northward 70
Mangalore, and they are the aristocrats OF
the tribes. They are proud; they are strong
and they are declared by students, to be
the most nearly perfect race physically
in all the world-graceful, agile handsome,
chvalrous. brave. Honor and ga llantryl
Love and battie These are their h devices eon.
and won at many points along the coast
from the Chats to the ocean, but the nsti-
tute of the matriarchate has remained
unshaken. The Mussulmans have adopted
nized the Inheritance in the female line,
establishing 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
through the fancies of the woment-which
were few-or the feats of arms OF the male:
themselves, who fought for the favors Of
the women. The women selected-and
selected the strongest and .h pest ,..,i men
Of students that the physical perfection
Of the race ia unequaled. The newly
married man drops his own name, accepts
the name OF the woman he weds, turns
over all his property to her ana l, asks Ks. only my
support Of the family and to be suitably
Girls are desired by all families. The
wealthy girls never lack partners They
choose and the one be s"ss 20
member of her family and to. obey her
rule. With the Nars freedom for women
begins with marriage. Until she is mar.
ried a girl is nothing, and she marries az
the age Of IL ana shs
SO chooses, but being married woman
she is at liberty to do as she leases
The system of inheritance is an interest
ing one. The property descends by zig
gag lines, from mother to daughter, from
the uncle to the eldest sisters children. ;
The rule of thu mother, he practical
Ignoring of the fat her, extends from palace
to hovel. 1t is the worlds last survival
Of system declared to have been once
the general law of the world-tte recognl..
ton Of the mother as the real creator or
the ra" es and the rightful ruler and me
recognition of the father, II recognized
At all, as a mere supplemental organism.
The brothers obey unq estioningly thelr
sisters. The sons are not obliged to re.
main under the roofs of their mothers
home, but are permitted to. set up estab.
lishments of their own, taxing win theau
one Of their sisters. who by that acl h Is'
If the son marries the wife owes obedience
to her sisterin-law. and If strife rises
the husband must stand by his sister agalnst
his wife, and his wife, in her turn, VIII
give up her husband or rs sacrlf'ce ca m1
love is a light thing, but brothers and sisters
remain steadfast to each other
The Brahmins and Nairs mingled 70
gether and found in the matriarchate ne
solution Of their caste .S Pr r,1is bin nS
caste, could not take Nairs as wives, but,
as the Nairs only acknowledge the mother
the Brahmins supplied the, fathers In.
different to paternity, Of which they are
ignorant, the Nairs accepted the arrange
ment, which has continued ever since
The effect Of the matriarchate system
on the peace of the land has been wonder.
full, and it Is noticeable that in MaIasaI
peace reigns. During the centuries thst
the patronymic dynasties have been 'orn
in which brothers have slaughter brothers
and sons rebelled against fathers In al!
parts Of India there has been peace aha
plenty and good will among these peoples
who are ruled by their mothe :.