Status of the Tribal Women in Assam

In the tribal society, customary laws and practices have acted as the biggest stumbling block for empowering women. Zeme Naga women in Assam do not enjoy equal political and social status with men. Women perform diverse roles in the society. Traditionally, women had four fold role to play such as a daughter, wife, housewife and a mother. From the childhood women are taught to believe that they are inferior to men in every sphere of life. Traditions and religion have a strong influence on women in guiding their lives from birth to death. The Zeme follow the Patriarchal system of family, who holds the absolute power as well the full responsibilities for protection and looking after the welfare of all dependents and the maintenance of his family. The descendant is always traced down from the male members only and the supremacy of male had been the unquestioned norm of social governance since the ancient times. After the death of the father, the head of the family is taken over by the eldest son of the family. Therefore after the first child, the birth of a son is preferred and the family with more sons are respected by the people whereas the family with many daughters are regarded to be the end of the generation of that family. This paper tries brings out the different position of a women in the Zeme Naga society.