Sold out; New class here

A 10-week online class
Dates: Saturdays May 15 - July 17
Time: 3 - 4:30 pm ET/ NYC time (12 pm-1:30 pm California time, 8 pm-9:30 pm London time, 9 pm-10:30 pm Paris/Amsterdam time)

PLEASE NOTE: All classes will also be recorded and archived for students who cannot make that time
Taught via Zoom by Morbid Anatomy Founder Joanna Ebenstein

Text Book: Matriarchal Societies: Studies on Indigenous Cultures Across the Globe (to be purchased by student)

Admission $75 general admission/$65 for Patreon ($5/month and up) members

We’ve all heard stories of peaceful, matriarchal societies which preceded patriarchal cultures, in which there was no war, homelessness, or rape, an inspirited natural world, respect for all individuals, sexual freedom, and true egalitarianism. Are these stories true, or just feminist/new age wishful thinking?

To answer these questions, Morbid Anatomy founder Joanna Ebenstein will lead us on a deep dive into the book Matriarchal Societies: Studies on Indigenous Cultures Across the Globe (2012), which presents pioneering research in the field of modern matriarchal studies by German scholar Dr. Heide Göttner-Abendroth, founder of HAGIA International Academy for Matriarchal Studies and Matriarchal Spirituality.)

This fascinating book provides a thorough scholarly survey of matriarchal cultures around the world, with an eye towards the commonalities between them. It also investigates traditions relating to death and burial, ancestor rituals, goddesses veneration, sexuality, and spirituality; provides a historical overview of matriarchal studies as traced in a variety of disciplines; and examines political and social structures, economic structures, and the gift economy. (For more detail, see below for a complete Table of Contents.)

Through close reading and lively class discussions, this reading group will sort fact from the fiction to explore what characterizes such societies, where they exist or have existed, why so few remain today, and what we can learn from them.

By examining the realities of matriarchies past and present, it is the instructor's hope what we will be able to sidestep the most powerful and invisible lens that shapes our worldview—that of patriarchy—and find inspiration by learning about other, largely underknown systems in which people have lived and thrived.

For a final project, students will be invited to synthesize what they have learned in any manner they choose; it could be an art project, a manifesto, a poetic response, a speculative fiction, a ritual, a performance, the crafting of one’s own goddess statue, a presentation on an associated topic or culture, or an application of what they have learned via an analysis of a story from popular culture.

SCHEDULE

Week One: Introduction & Chapter 1 (May 15)
Week Two: Chapters 2 and 3 (May 22)
Week Three: Chapters 4 and 5 (May 29)
Week Four: Chapters 6, 7 & 8 (June 5)
Week Five: Chapters 9 & 10 (June 12)
Week Six: Chapters 11 & 12 (June 19)
Week Seven: Chapters 13 & 14 (June 26)
Week Eight: Chapters 15 and 16 (July 3)
Week Nine: Chapters 17 & 18 (July 10)
Week Ten: Final Presentations (July 17)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION: A Word on Matriarchy: General Introduction: Philosophy and Methodology of Modern Matriarchal Studies

Chapter 1 A Critical History of Perspectives on Matriarchy
1.1 The pioneers
1.2 The Marxist discussion
1.3 The anthropological-ethnological branch
1.4 The prehistory branch
1.5 The religious studies branch
1.6 The branch of study of oral traditions
1.7 The archaeological branch
1.8 Feminist and indigenous Matriarchal Studies

Part I Indigenous Matriarchal Societies in Eastern Asia, Indonesia, and Oceania

Chapter 2 Matriarchy in Northeast India
2.1 Khasi: the land and the people
2.2 Social structure
2.3 Political patterns
2.4 Belief and sacred ceremony
2.5 The current situation
2.6 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies

Chapter 3 Matriarchal Cults in Nepal
3.1 The Newar of the Katmandu Valley
3.2 The cult of the goddess Kali
3.3 Pashupatinath: the cult of death and life
3.4 Kumari, the living goddess
3.5 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Chapter 4 Ancient Queens Realms and Group Marriage in Tibet
4.1 Planting and herding cultures
4.2 The Bon Religion
4.3 Ancient Tibetans queens' realms
4.4 Polyandry as well-organised group marriage
4.5 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Chapter 5 Matriarchal Mountain Peoples of China
5.1 Indigenous peoples in China
5.2 The Mosuo in Southwest China
5.3 The Chiang People in Northwest China
5.4 Yao, Miao and other indigenous peoples
5.5 The peoples of the Yueh Culture in Southeast China
5.6 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Chapter 6 Women Shamans in Korea
6.1 Megalith cultures in East Asia and the Pacific Rim
6.2 Women in the history of Korea
6.3 Contemporary women shamans
6.4 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Chapter 7 The Islands of Japan: Women's Cultures of the South and North
7.1 Japan’s Shinto Religion
7.2 Sister and brother in the Ryukyu Islands
7.3 Matriarchal mythology
7.4 The Ainu in Northern Japan
7.5 Paleolithic worldview
7.6 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Chapter 8 "Alam Minangkabau": The world of the Minangkabau in Indonesia
8.1 Matriarchal cultural patterns in Indonesia
8.2 Minangkabau social order and culture
8.3 "Darek" and "Rantau": two ways to keep patriarchy out
8.4 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Chapter 9 Matriarchal Patterns in Melanesia
9.1 The Trobriand Islanders
9.2 Ancestor children in Trobriand Islands society
9.3 The Kula ring and chieftainship in the Trobriand Islands
9.4 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Chapter 10 Pacific Ocean Cultures
10.1 Of ships, stars, and stones
10.2 Women in Polynesian society
10.3 Pele's clan
10.4 Warrior chiefs in Oceania
10.4 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Part II Indigenous Matriarchal Societies in the Americas, India, and Africa

Chapter 11 Matriarchal Cultures in South America
11.1 The Arawak
11.2 The Amazons of the Amazon
11.3 The seaway to South America
11.4 Understanding the structure o matriarchal societies (continuation)

Chapter 12 The Spread of Matriarchy to Central America
12.1 The Kuna, the "Golden People"
12.2 Kuna beliefs and religious ceremony
12.3 The strong, beautiful women of Juchitan
12.4 The life cycle of Juchitecan women
12.5 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Chapter 13 North America: Matriarchal Immigrants from the South
13.1 The Hopi, the "Peaceful People"
13.2 Life-cycle feasts and agricultural ceremonies
13.3 Pueblo deities and mythology
13.4 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Chapter 14 North America: At the Cultural Crossroads of South and North
14.1 History of the Iroquois
14.2 Creation of the Iroquois Confederation
14.3 The Constitution and political structures
14.4 Iroquois society
14.5 Iroquois economy
14.6 Iroquois medicine societies and mythology
14.7 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Chapter 15 Matriarchy in South India
15.1 Matriarchy within the caste system: South India
15.2 Nayar women and men
15.3 Nayar, Pulayan and Parayan
15.4 Nayar social organization
15.5 Nayar festivals and religion
15.6 Patriarchal Brahmins and matriarchal Nayar: a problematic relationship
15.7 The downfall of the Nayar matriarchal structures
15.8 The outcasts: Adivasi and Sinti-Roma
15.9 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Chapter 16 Ancient Matriarchy in Central Africa
16.1 The Bantu
16.2 The unmanageable Bemba women
16.3 Bemba religion
16.4 The dual social organization of the Luapula
16.5 Patriarchal and matriarchal animal-breeding peoples
16.6 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Chapter 17 Matriarchal Queen-Kingship in West Africa
17.1 The History of the Akan
17.2 The Queen Mother and the earliest form of the Akan realms
17.3 Matriarchal Akan kings
17.4 Akan religion and the sacred function of the queen mother and king
17.5 Development of patriarchal tendencies in Akan realms
17.6 The Ashanti
17.7 Extension of matriarchal queen-kingship in Sub-Saharan Africa
17.8 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Chapter 18 - Matriarchal Pastoral Peoples in North Africa
18.1 The Targi woman: mistress of the tent
18.2 Tuareg social and economic power
18.3 Tuareg political organization
18.4 The history: exodus into the desert
18.5 The ancient Berber religion
18.6 Understanding the structure of matriarchal societies (continuation)

Image: Statuette of standing nude goddess crafted of alabaster with gold, rubies, Babylon, 1st century BC–1st century AD. Musée du Louvre, Paris. Photo: © RMN-Grand Palais/Art Resource, New York