Living Arrangements of the Elderly in a Matrilineal Society: The case of the Khasis in India

Matriliny is practised among nearly one million Khasi people living in Meghalaya Plateau in the Northeastern region of India. Descent and lineage in this system is from the mother’s clan line and ancestral property passes through the youngest daughter who is the custodian of ancestral property. The Khasi society exists as an island amidst a strong patriarchal Indian society and has survived till date in spite of modern forces constantly working against its continuance. The prevalent system has its unique living arrangements where the elderly segment looks for support and care. The paper aims at understanding the pattern of living arrangements among the Khasi people and study the health and gender dimensions of ageing in Khasi society under the influence of this unique social system. Based on data collected from selected Khasi villages in the plateau, the study presents the empirical reality confronting the matrilineal Khasis.