After supporting the Americans during the Vietnam war, many of the Ede fled into exile.
But now with modern Vietnam embracing their indigenous culture again, the Ede are finally discovering their place as a matrilineal tribe.
Facts
- Location: Central Highlands Vietnam and Cambodia
- Population: Ede 405,000. Mnong 127,000. Jarai 544,000.
- Religion: Christianity and local Animist faith.
- Language: Ede, Mnong, Jarai and Vietnamese
Matriarchal features
- Children belong to the mother’s clan (matrilineal name)
- Property inherited by daughters from their mothers (matrilineal inheritance)
- Women woo men
- After the wedding, the man moves in with his wife’s family (matrifocal residence),
- Property in Ede family clans – including rice fields, cattle, ceremonial gongs and vessels – are generally looked after by the eldest woman of the clan.