Paper Details

Women and men are born of the same household. They live in the same society. They share many aspects together, yet the social system has put the two genders in different status and position. In many ways, women folks suffer due to ill treatment meted out to them due to social establishment. The gravity of this treatment seems to be greater in the patrilineal society where male folks dominate the household and the society. The present paper is, thus, an investigation of how women share the status with that of men in the Chakhesang Naga community. Chakhesang Naga is one of the major tribes in Nagaland. It is situated in the south eastern part of the State and sharing its boundary with the state of Manipur. In the present study, the deliberation was taken on women’s status as a child, daughter, sister, mother, wife and care taker. In Chakhesang Naga society, it is observed that although the society is patrilineal in nature, women are treated with honour and respect in many ways inspite of many disadvantages in the society. The social functions and festivals are found to be incomplete without equal participation from women folks. Also, the system of inheritance known as lhabou is a unique system where women folks have the full freedom of inheritance. It is observed that male dominates family and society as a head due to patrilineal structure, yet women are also treated with love and honour in the given social structure.

Women status, daughter, mother, feast and festivals.