In northeastern India, deep in the jungles, is the small village of Mawlynnong which has a very unconventional social hierarchy. The village is home to the indigenous Khasi tribe, who still abide by ancient traditions which mean that power, property and money are passed from the mother to the daughter rather than from father to son.
Berlin-based photographer, Karolin Klüppel, wished to document this place this place where little girls rule over men. Over the course of two years she spent 9 months living within different families within the tribe.
Within the tribal culture, the youngest daughter, (known as khadduh) inherits property and wealth, kids take their mother’s surname, and husbands are expected to live in the home of their wife once they are married.
The little girls attend the local village school until they reach their teens, although at the age of 11 or 12, some of them will move to the capital of the state to continue their education. The young women will then either go on to study at college or return to the village, to look after their parents. The women have complete freedom when it comes to choosing if to marry and there isn’t any stigma if women choose to stay single or get divorced.
However, the tribal social system can mean that not having a daughter in your family can cause problems, as only females can ensure the continuity of a family. Families without girls are called ïap-duh, which means extinct.
Customs such as these have existed for hundreds, if not thousands of years and although today men might lead the village council, it is still rare for them to own any property of their own.
Klüppel explained what motivated her to take the series of photos, “I want everyone to know about cultures that are different from the patriarchal world we live in—and I want people to question that system.”
Image via: National Geographic