How is Haudenosaunee kinship structured?

• A. It is matrilineal; clan membership and inheritance run through the mother, with women holding significant influence.
• B. It is patriarchal; clan membership and inheritance run through the father, with men holding significant influence.
• C. It is bilateral; clan membership and inheritance run through both parents equally.
• D. It is matriarchal; women rule all practical aspects of governance.

Answer: (A)

Kinship in Haudenosaunee society is matrilineal, meaning clan membership and the passing of family lines run through the mother. Children belong to their mother’s clan, and important family rights, including lineage and often property or its management, are traced through the female line. This setup gives women a central role in social and political life, especially through clan mothers who hold real authority to select and guide leaders and to shape clan decisions. While men can and do hold leadership roles, their legitimacy and influence are often exercised with the approval and input of the clan mothers. This is not a patriarchal system, since the line of descent and much of social identity are determined by the mother’s line, nor is it bilateral, because the maternal line is primary for kinship and inheritance. It isn’t a matriarchal system where women rule all governance; instead, it centers on matrilineal organization with strong female influence in leadership selection.