How does the status of women differ in the cultures of these regions. I mean traditionally, how independent and socially powerful were women compared to men. I know in ancient Japan, they worshiped in ancient goddesses and women ruled kingdoms. In the north and east of China, nomadic tribal women were often socially mobile. In Southeast Asia, many tribes are matrilenial. Women often held powerful positions, like the queen of pattani and ancient Cambodia. Also, the largest matrilenial society in the world, the Minangkabaus exists here. So, how does the status of women varies in the regions.

Like you already said before, the Minangkabaus of Sumatra, Indonesia is the largest Matrilineal society in the world. Land and properties are handed down from mothers to daughters. When a child is born, he/she automatically became a part of his/her mother's clan. In a family, the father is the only one with a different clan as he belongs to his mother's clan. Some of them moved to neighboring country like Malaysia, as a result Negeri Sembilan state of Malaysia has a different set of rules from the other states.

In other parts of Indonesia too, women are highly regarded. We believe it's an Austronesian thing. Female chiefs, Queens, Empresses, Sultanahs, ruled our islands from the ancestral time through Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and republic eras of our country. Goddesses and female ancestors are also abundant, taking the most important roles in our faiths. We saw women leading their own troops to wars, some became our national heroes who we respect even to this very day.

Both Indonesia and the Philippines got their own female presidents in the modern age, too.

Uhh, in the Philippines:

1. I think most pre-colonial societies were matrilineal... Women held very high positions like priestesses and witches and$hit like that lol.
2. The Spanish later corrupted them with machismo, something that in my opinion is eminent even today...
3. Present day Philippines is known for its gender equality, the country has had two female presidents, one is in office... and they did some worldwide study on gender equality and the Philippines came second to Sweden or something...

u forgot the american era.. it was the time that filipinas bounced back into their pre colonial status...

its like

WITCH sorceress, matriarch leaders(pre colonial)
maria clara(spanish era)
then kind of a combination of both for the present day...(precolonial+spanish+american era)

FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW...
PHILIPPINES TOPS AS THE MOST GENDER EQUAL COUNTRY IN THE WHOLE OF ASIA
RANKED NO. 6 IN THE WHOLE WORLD LAST 2007


QUOTE"The Philippines is the only country in Asia to have closed the gender gap on both education and health and was only among five nations in the world to have done so. The others are the Dominican Republic, France, Honduras and Lesotho."


far from U.S 17th Place

Hmong: Men think they rule, when really the woman does