By HH Mohrmen
A surname, clan, or the name following the first and second names of a person may not hold as much significance in other cultures as it does for the people where the matrilineal family system is followed. Recently, this issue has become a hot topic in the community, with opponents of the tradition debating its relevance in today’s world, while the majority still support the lineage system. The debate between proponents of the matrilineal system and those advocating for a shift to a patriarchal system has led to numerous papers and articles justifying both sides.
In this publication, many articles have explained the importance of the clan in matrilineal society, but not many delve deeply into the fundamentals that define the clan within this system. In this article, the intention is to show that a clan is not just a surname that follows an individual’s name; it is more than just the second or third part of a name that identifies a person. The clan is, in fact, a major part of a person’s identity. Unlike cultures that follow a patriarchal lineage system, the surname in the matrilineal system is the core aspect that defines a person’s identity. It is the part of one’s name that marks the uniqueness of the individual.
The genesis of every clan
It all begins with the stories of the Ïawbei and Thawlang. In the matrilineal culture, every clan has its own story of how it originated. If a clan doesn’t know its Ïawbei story, it likely means this knowledge was lost along the way. In many cases, the progenitor story also reveals the existence of various sub-clans that are part of the same clan. Even new clans, where the tradition of tangjait (accepting a new lineage) has recently been performed, must have a story about the Khasi man who married a non-Khasi woman and how their union created a new Khasi clan.
Some examples of progenitor stories still told in the Jaiñtia Hills include those of Ka Bon, Ka Teiñ, Ka Wet, and Ka Doh, the great ancestors of the grand Sookpoh Khatar Wyrnai clan of Jowai. The story of the half-human, half-divine female ancestress also tells us how Jowai was founded. In many cases, the Ïawbei of a clan possesses supernatural powers or experiences extraordinary events. The tragic story of the Talang Basiah tells us about the progenitors of the Talang and Lyngdoh clans of Nongtalang. Then there is the story of Ki Rymbai Bah Khla, which begins with a woman miraculously saved by a tiger—hence, they are called Ki Rymbai Bah Khla, meaning “the Rymbai carried by the Tiger.” The Passah and Shadap Passah clans trace their origin to Ka Bor Kupli and their Thawlang, U Ïale, who lived in the Kupli River. There is also the story of Ka Ïawchibidi/Ïawchibijai, the great ancestor of the Lamin, Laloo, Diengdoh, Pariong, Marngar, Syngai, and other clans. There are many more stories about how clans began, but space allows us to mention only a few.
The most important lesson for understanding the matrilineal system and the significance of the clan is to learn about the progenitor stories, as they form the genesis of the clans. Unfortunately, many clans have lost these stories, and as a result, they fail to understand the importance of the clan and why lineage is passed through the mother.
“By thy clan, thou shall be known”
Traditionally, when two or more people meet, the first question they ask is about health, and the second is about the clan to which each person belongs. This demonstrates the importance of the clan—it is second only to health. Furthermore, a person is not only identified by their clan; the significance of the clan is also highlighted by the fact that appointments to traditional offices are based on clans. This is not a class system or any kind of hierarchy but a responsibility designated to certain clans in an egalitarian society. Regardless of their clan, all community members are considered equal.
People often mistake “Lyngdoh” for a clan name when, in fact, it refers to a traditional priestly office, and one Lyngdoh is not related to another. Certain clans hold the office of Lyngdoh in one raid, while other clans may hold it in a different area. For example, the Sookpoh clan holds the office of Langdoh in Raid Jowai, while the Talang clan traditionally occupies the Lyngdoh office in Nongtalang. Lyngdoh is not a clan name; different clans occupy the Lyngdoh office in different regions, so two Lyngdohs from different raids are not related because they do not belong to the same clan. The traditional office of the Lyngdoh may not be as significant today as it used to be, but other traditional offices are still important.
Similarly, certain clans occupy the office of Myntri (minister) in one hima (traditional state), while other clans hold the office in another hima. In Jaiñtia Hills, some clans are eligible to contest for the office of Doloi (chief) in one eleka (territory), while others are entitled to the office in other eleka. Tradition dictates that appointments to these traditional offices are based solely on clans.
Life begins and ends with the clan
Traditionally, the clan is both the beginning and the end of an individual’s life. One’s life begins with rites of passage in the clan and ends in the clan’s ossuary. By tradition, the clan is the center of a person’s religious life. All religious activities are conducted through the clan to which the individual belongs. In Jowai, while traditional religion may not have specific places of worship like churches or mosques, it does have the Ïungblai or Kmai Ïung, the common house for those of the same clan. The Ïungblai is where all rites of passage are performed—naming, weddings, cremation, and even offerings to ancestors, which can only be done at the Kmai Ïung or Ïungblai. The clan plays a pivotal role in a person’s life, as even their mortal remains are kept in the clan’s common house before cremation and the clan’s ossuary till eternity.
Clan as the Basis of “Tipkur Tipkha’’
Tipkur (knowing and respecting your maternal clan) and Tipkha (knowing and respecting your paternal relatives) is one of the cardinal principles of the Hynñiew Trep society. In Khasi-Pnar society, relationships extend beyond the immediate family to include the broader clan. One’s relations extend not only to one’s maternal clan but also to the paternal relatives and sub-clans. In marriage, the relationship is not limited to the couple’s immediate families but extends to the entire clan to which the bride or groom belongs.
The matrilineal dilemma
Some argue that maternal lineage is no longer relevant and that we cling to the tradition merely because it is unique. Critics say that the matrilineal system is unsuited to modern society and does not help the tribe grow economically. However, patriarchal societies have their shortcomings too—high divorce rates and poverty exist in many patriarchal societies as well.
In the modern Hynñiewtrep community, as society changes, there is often confusion about the roles of the father and the maternal uncle in the family. No doubt there are shortcomings in the matrilineal system too, and these should be examined. The matrilineal system has not failed us; rather, we have failed the system. The dilemma arises because we have lost the stories, and in the process, we have lost the culture and traditions. As a tribe, we have lost our connection with our cultural roots.
It is however encouraging to see clans organizing themselves and the two Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) are also working on this issue. Hopefully, the system will evolve and adapt with time. The need of the hour is to rediscover and perhaps even reinvent the tradition—without forgetting the fundamentals—to suit a changing society. One must remember that the clan is not just the second or third part of an individual’s name; it represents the stories and traditions that are intrinsic to society.