Matrilineal and Matriarchal Societies in Africa Today

When many people think of Africa’s past, what often comes to mind are images of warrior kings, sprawling empires, and male-led dynasties. However, the diverse continent has also long been home to matrilineal and matriarchal societies where women are centred. These social systems, though not as common today, challenge dominant notions of patriarchy in Africa and provide a nuanced view of gender roles on the continent.

First, it’s important to distinguish between matriarchal and matrilineal societies. Matriarchal communities are those where women hold primary power in political leadership, moral authority, and property control. Matrilineal societies, on the other hand, trace descent and inheritance through the mother’s line, without necessarily giving women overt political dominance. In essence, a matrilineal society is not necessarily a matriarchal society, but a matriarchal society involves matriliny.

In this article, we will explore both and how they played out, or continue to play out, in some African societies.

The Akan Peoples: Queen Mothers and Matrilineal Power

The Akan peoples of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire offer a prime example of matriliny. In Akan culture, children belong to their mother’s clan and as such, identity, inheritance and chieftaincy are passed through the mother’s clan. Children belong not to their father’s group but to their mother’s lineage, and it is the Queen Mother (Ohemaa) who has the final say in selecting a new chief (Ohene).

This system elevates women’s importance in the lineage structure, making them essential to the community’s survival. It also gives Queen Mothers considerable political power, especially in traditional councils. For example, the Queen Mother traditionally advises the male chief on matters of governance.

Nonetheless, it remains distinct from full matriarchy. Akan chiefs are still men, and women’s power—though respected—is typically exercised in tandem with, or in support of, male leadership. The result is a kind of gender balance that doesn’t always put women on top but refuses to push them to the margins.

Tuareg Traditions: Where Women Truly Ruled

Among the semi-nomadic Tuareg people of the Central Sahara, women wield significant influence. Tents—very important among nomadic communities—and family property are passed down through the maternal line. Marriage is matrilocal, meaning that men join the woman’s household rather than the other way around. Additionally, woman have the right to initiate divorce.

These aspects lean more towards matriliny, but traditionally, Tuareg culture also formerly embraced some matriarchal norms. Women managed family resources, handled important cultural rituals and held sway in important tribal decisions. Their leadership especially extended to areas like conflict resolution and education.

Still, Tuareg women continue to enjoy more freedom and empowerment than is typical of predominantly Muslim societies. They are considered the custodians of Tamasheq, the language of the Tuareg. And they freely organise public poetic gatherings and musical rituals where they can express themselves.

The Balobedu People: Where Rain Queens Reign

One of Africa’s few surviving matriarchal roles is that of the Rain Queen (Modjadji) of the Balobedu people of South Africa’s Limpopo Province. The Rain Queen is a spiritual matriarch who is believed to control the weather and ensure agricultural fertility.

The sacred rain-making power is believed to be inherited through a maternal line. Thus, succession always passes to the eldest daughter. The queen governs alongside a female advisory council, though she is also supported by male advisors.

The Modjadji’s word carries supreme spiritual weight. Chiefs in neighboring territories historically deferred to her. Till today, the Rain Queen is a major figure of interest for tourists visiting the region.

Serer Women and the Sacred Order

In Senegal and The Gambia, the Serer people structure much of their spiritual and social life around maternal lines. Women serve as priestesses, sacred grove protectors, and keepers of ancestral secrets. Ritual leadership and spiritual power are closely tied to specific maternal clans.

This isn’t a matriarchy in the political sense as men still hold many leadership roles. But religious life depends heavily on the wisdom and participation of women. Their spiritual influence reinforces their societal standing.

Additionally, the Serer practice both patriliny and matriliny. Some assets are considered maternal—requiring maternal inheritance—while others are considered paternal.

Umuada: The Igbo Women’s Council

Among the most enduring examples of female authority in African societies is the traditional dual-sex political system of the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria. While men have the Umunna, women wield power though the Umuada—‘daughters of the lineage’—whose influence extended beyond family lines.

Historically, the Umuada functioned as a collective moral court, mediating family disputes, sanctioning wrongdoers, and invoking spiritual rites to cleanse or bless communities. Their authority could supersede that of titled male elders in matters of domestic strife or ancestral veneration, and they often served as the final arbiters when all else failed.

But the role of the Umuada has shifted over time. Today, while they are still called upon during family disagreements, funerals, or traditional marriages, their authority is more ceremonial than juridical. As colonialism, Christianity, and modern legal systems restructured Igbo society, the once-formidable political clout of the Umuada has been curtailed.

When Colonisers Rewrote the Script

European colonialism dramatically undermined these systems. Colonial governments often ignored or erased matrilineal structures, preferring to deal with male chiefs in patriarchal structures that mirrored European governance.

Moreso, Christian missionaries promoted Victorian ideals of womanhood, dismissing spiritual and political roles held by African women as pagan or backward.

As a result, many African societies saw a systematic downgrading of female authority, both in law and in cultural memory.

Despite these disruptions, traces of female-led systems still live on. Queen Mothers in Ghana still wield some authority in traditional councils. The Rain Queen still blesses the land in Limpopo. Tuareg women continue their poetry and preserve language. And across the continent, women are reclaiming old roles—or creating new ones that reflect their past power.

African feminists and historians are now revisiting these systems in a bid to learn and revive old customs. They show that many African societies once had gendered systems that weren’t simply male-over-female but reflected balance, accountability, and mutual respect.