Matrifocality and Women's Power on the Miskito Coast

Miskitu women in the village of Kuri (northeastern Honduras) live in matrilocal groups, while men work as deep-water lobster divers. Data reveal that with the long-term presence of the international lobster economy, Kuri has become increasingly matrilocal, matrifocal, and matrilineal. Female-centere...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ethnology 2007-04, Vol.46 (2), p.133-149
Main Author: Herlihy, Laura Hobson
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adopted children
Child care
Children
Communities
Ethnology
Family names
Family. Family relations
Females
Honduras
Households
Indigenous Populations
Kinship
Men
Mothers
Power
Sex
Social structure and social relations
Woman status
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Summary:Miskitu women in the village of Kuri (northeastern Honduras) live in matrilocal groups, while men work as deep-water lobster divers. Data reveal that with the long-term presence of the international lobster economy, Kuri has become increasingly matrilocal, matrifocal, and matrilineal. Female-centered social practices in Kuri represent broader patterns in Middle America caused by indigenous men's participation in the global economy. Indigenous women now play heightened roles in preserving cultural, linguistic, and social identities.
ISSN:0014-1828
2160-3510
DOI:10.2307/20456618