Mosuo Women - China

[raynarayskye]

I'll be back when there are some subtitles

[Haruhi072]

this is so cool!

[Jaiyeson]

Scumbag Cao, at 5:54 the cousin to scumbag steve

[totalgoofchick]

The Good Wife brought me here .....

[Ieatbabyseals]

Seems like a sweet deal. I'd be more tempted to move there if the women were more Euro looking, but I'd think I'd feel funny about not spending time with my kids. Maybe that's just a cultural thing.

[LadyBludgeon]

I've seen a documentary of this tribe on National Geographic Channel called Taboo the other day. Very interesting family bond. Why isn't this form of relationship being practiced? To think deeply about it, this will actually help out with slowing down the population & reduce stress. Men will do their own thing, women do their own thing which will lessen tension between the sexes. The men seem to like the idea that responsibilities & work are shared w/ other men so they're not stressed or tired.

[LadyBludgeon]

@LadyBludgeon Women in this culture do most of the work around the farm, since yard work or farming is viewed as a female occupation... i.e. nurturing/caring for the land to produce food/new life. Men work around construction. The work is shared with other men, family saves time & money. The women don't seem to complain over working more as long the men aren't around bothering them. Again, women & men do their thing & everyone is happy. No one is on each others cases. Sounds like Utopia to me.

[CrazyNative4]

this is cool

[manhuntsoap]

"You think the only people who are people. Are the people who look and think like you" - Pocahontas

[gabe228]

shitty production, what's with the lack of subtitles. this could have been a very interesting 12 minute

[122172639]

@gabe228 someone translated it in a series of comments just 2 below your own... I agree they need to put it in the video, but I guess being from 1995 they used plain old TV closed captioning. I was just glad someone took the time to write out all the meanings.

[baae755]

That is amazing :D

[CharlesFotos]

this tradition is dying because of tourism

[122172639]

@CharlesFotos actually, it's dying because for over 15 documented years, PRC, the "republic" that is communist China, has tried over and over, twice a year or more, to indoctrinate them, to force them to convert to traditional ideas of China rule, marriage, and of course patriarchal hostility. It hasn't worked; they're resilient. The problem will come when this land is all that remains clean enough to enjoy and they stop the cultural pandering and occupy it by military force and kill the women.

[122172639]

@CharlesFotos In 1995, when this was made, they thought they'd seen bad govt. That was an "educational" program on the modernization &adaptation of the Mosuo. The last few years have been more forceful, though what kills me is the govt made a fake 'village' Luoshu w/FOREIGN costumed prostitutes-sex slaves from cambodia&thailand (12-16y/o). Mosuo won't change til THEY get sold as slaves/whores or "integrated" fancy word for split the families&kill the females off-patriarchies are dangerous,US too

[jorgerock666]

I dont understand (x_X) jaja please put subtitles

[davidtres28]

This is a truly an interesting and fascinating way of life. While I do long for a future where men and women are gender blind and such things are no longer an issue, I feel as though that a matriarchal way of life would be a refreshing change to our current way of life around the world.

[Haruhi072]

@davidtres28 well, we shouldn't be gender blind. I think that we should just be gender accepting.

[Mamemitsu1]

what the hell are they saying??

[reza609]

There is this lady ,Who keeps YAKKING and we don't understand, What people are saying ! ! !

Just saying !!!

[xFlamingIcex]

I like how there are so many bitter men who are commenting on this because they feel inferior. It's quite sad. I hope one day we all reach an equal society.

[domesticathlete]

This and other videos about Yunnan Mosu culture are a good adjunct to the book Leaving Mother Lake: A Girlhood at the Edge of the World by Yang Erche Namu & Christine Mathieu

[HongKongKanto]

look how poor their society is if its controlled by women

[streamingmadly]

Am I the only one who does not understanding the Mosuo language?

[yummieyummie123]

that rooster! lol so loud.

[Monad01]

"the real power is in the hands of men"

So even in a Matriarchy, women are oppressed, or maybe it's just that the grass is aways greener on the other side.

[LadyBludgeon]

@Monad01 Men have the power in the sense that they have more leisure time than women. The women are doing all of the farm & house work, so they don't have time, which is why the lady at the end of the doc talks about how the relationship bounds them to the property. I would still prefer to live in this culture than the typical western one, because in their society women & men rarely meet which means more freedom for the two. Less likely to bicker/fight as men & women in western societies.

[smartblonde07]

What is the point of an English language documentary with interview clips untranslated?

[lulufernandes15]

very good video ... is always good to meet new cultures and respect it at all, which seems a absusdo in one place is normal in the other ... Logical that most companies are different but also should not forget the abuses that are carried out against women, such as genital mutilation, beatings, stoning and other public, and that's what governments ought to exterminate

[Knepperify1]

1995?!?

-

Current cultural, social and economic conditions in China are changing every 3 years. This video may as well have been produced in 1920. It is likely that this way of life no longer exists.

[Haruhi072]

@Knepperify1 that may be true, but it has lasted for a long time, and it said the government has tried to abolish them before and it survived.

[loshombressobran]

Los Hombres Sobran

loshombressobran.webs.com

[repracable]

This is not a matriarchy. "Real power...is in the hands of the men," a local woman said at about 8:44. Something I knew before I even started listening. There is no such thing as a stable matriarchy (defined as women occupying most positions of authority at most levels). There never has been and never will be. The only viable cultures over the long term are patriarchies.

[LadyBludgeon]

@repracable You're future teller? How do you know there never will be? O-o

[lovechina999000]

杨二车娜姆， namu

[xilliah]

Fossils? Lol!

There's quite a bit we must learn from these people.

[xilliah]

So this is why they invented the subtitle.

[dulmiradika]

It is time to think about your marriage lushfmlk.info

[shehananadini]

Travel around the world with your Asian wife lushfmlk.info

[hujintaomustresign3]

Congratulation to Liu Xiaobo for winning the 2010 Peace Nobel Prize :)

What a Chinese hero :)

[allknowfather]

w w w . watchtower . org / ch / kn37 / article_01 . htm

w w w . watchtower . org / ch / 20091201 / article_01 . htm 中文

w w w . watchtower . org / ch / rq / article_02 . htm 中文

w w w . watchtower . org / e / 20040101 / article_02 . htm English

[wingedsoul]

ughh..journeyman once again doesn't put subtitles....

[Turfan369]

Tibetan ethnic group and speaks Tibetan (Kham dialect)

[Literario26]

Wow, I am reading a book about this Chinese minority. Cheers from Ecuador. Saludos a todo el planeta.

[XhessCake]

Musuo means scray in Korean haha

[Graymoths]

I heard they are long traditions of matriachy in Southern China.

[xiaolintraditional90]

I hate china for killing its own culture and doing everything in order to please foreigners. China is westernizing very rapidly. while it is a good thing that china has become more advanced, they have lost so much of its culture.

[trahtibidahtibidah]

@xiaolintraditional90 right and for china killing many cultures and countries special

hate i suggest for killing Tibetan culture,actually i dont find han culture atractive,at least for me so can kill them self we dont lost nothing, no need ilussions abt chinese culture han like dollar its a god for them.....

[DuhLie]

@trahtibidahtibidah see, if you don't care about them, then they won't care about you.

have fun with your "culture", while it lasts...

[Zzozze]

Their houses look like mine!  ;o)

b.t.w. what language do they speak?

[Jupiterconjunct]

Matriarchies are so evolved and peaceful. Patriarchies are barbaric and violent.

Just look at the patriarchal world we live in!

[Willynka]

amen:)

[CrazyNative4]

i'm cool !

[HongKongKanto]

this isnt that weird as many think, men cant proof their kids like women.

[disty248]

I think you all are thinking very westernized view. The world doesn't have the same view as those who are westernized. If they have their own culture, then appreciate it and respect it. I'm sure if they look at US culture, or European culture, they would think that this is very odd and weird.

[jenp27]

interesting, don't any of the men and women want to live together?

[Willynka]

when they want they live but it isn't anything like family or relationship....you don't own your partner...it is just love

[firm1001]

the video is good ,but I want to say that I am a chinese , i have been there the mosuo village,and the chinese govenement never force them to dress the clothes which they do not like to dress~~~~~what is the video showed is not ture!!!!!!

[scifiwritir]

Wow, I understand that the women are free of husbands. But on the same time, there are so many drawbacks to this. Basically the men don't have to take care of their kids and women do all the manual work...while the men use their free time to be educated. It's all in the way you look at it, uh?

[YourDarkAccomplice]

Well, "doing all the work" isn't really a problem for people who choose to live the peaceful "folkish" life. It's disastrous that genders have to fight/separate due to faulty understanding of the other. Although, it is refreshing to actually see one that is female dominated.. and not just sheer mindless brutality gaining the upper hand. If the men get educated, good, maybe they can finally understand what is really going on in this culture. I know where I'm at men are rarely properly educated.=/

[Jupiterconjunct]

DarkAccomplice, I find that males in general have no issue with maledom science and maledom religion teaching that Women are inferior. Men kinda enjoyed that.

However when a book such as THE NATURAL SUPERIORITY OF WOMEN (Dr A Montague) is written in 1952... the information is almost totally oppressed by maledom society.

In general, men dont want to hear anything awesome about Matriarchies, nor Women. I know as I have been speaking out about Matriarchy for several decades now.

[YourDarkAccomplice]

@Jupiterconjunct - hah, good point JupiterConjunct!

However, can you imagine how hard it must be for a man to accept a creature they already feel is superior as "even more superior"? I mean, to them, if women had equal rights.. it would outbalance their power because it's already bad enough that we have control over their manhood and what makes them "men" ;)

So, I understand their fearful intimidation. Cowards don't appreciate truth. *shrug*

[Reghedable]

@Jupiterconjunct

By the way, I have read that book by Dr. Ashley, and it is a rebuke of another anthropologist with chauvinistic views. I should note I agree with some of his statements as well.

Religion is largely mysogenistic, therefore I am not religious.

But wars are started by religious and social collectivism, not necessarily males in specific. There are indeed cases of women in power being just as ambitious and dominating as men, albeit fewer cases.

[Jupiterconjunct]

scifi, look at it from the perspective of HER-story. For Women to be able to live without the brutilization, violence, rapes, wars of males, makes up for everything!

[Reghedable]

You need to learn the actual history of Patriarchy and it's roots in militarism.

Genetically, from the perspective of natural selection, more aggressive, more dominant males have been selected by females for their characteristics that ensure the passing of genes onto the next generation.

[Jupiterconjunct]

Reg, you need to learn the actual HER-story of MATRIARCHY.

Oppps I almost forgot, you cant! MOST of the info has been suppressed and also destroyed by MALEDOM. In addition, schools only teach HIS-story.

Kid, look at the world around you. Can you truly NOT see that 99% of violent acts and wars and killings and tortures are committed by males?

Not surprised if you really cant, as you have a compromised frontal lobe and corpus callosum, in addition to that piddly inferior y chromosome.

[InternalReflexion]

@Jupiterconjunct You make some good points, although in a very aggressive manner. You're not likely to convince men of the merits of matriarchy this way. I know you probably don't care but the truth is a peaceful matriarchy would require acceptance by men.

I agree with you about the aggressive nature of men. I think the world should be ruled by women. As a man, I would welcome it. But if you want men to listen, please try to state your points without calling us brain damaged or inferior.

[littl3x]

@InternalReflexion Women can be just as abusive and aggressive as men.

[Reghedable]

@Jupiterconjunct

From what I've read, you seem to be a feminazi.

While you have points in areas, your prejudice toward us men belies a lack of knowledge as to what the male brain is comprised of and how it differs from the female brain.

You will find certain career fields dominated by males, as you will find certain career fields dominated by females.

Is it a sign of prejudice? Perhaps.

But more likely it is simply a sign of sexual dimorphism, both cultural and genetic in nature.

[Jupiterconjunct]

Reghedable, from what Ive read you seem the typical male who believes the Earth, Animals, Women etc, are all here for you to use in anyway you please ... to make yourself feel OH SO POWERFUL and MIGHTY!

Career fields? Hon, I am talking on a MUCH higher level than something so mundane as career. EVERYTHING I have said about maledom is FACT. Everything I say about the biology of Males is FACT. Your over inflated male ego does not allow you to see that.

Sorry if the truth hurts.

[Reghedable]

@Jupiterconjunct

That being said, collectivism is where we submit our individual will and being to a group's ideal, or what they consider the "perfect form". A good example of this is christianity, or similar cults. Now, the reason why these groups are often headed by males is due to the patriarchical nature of our species' social heirarchical structure, like many species that compete for mates.

[Reghedable]

@Jupiterconjunct

Another note.

A matriarchical society would be an interesting experiment, and perhaps better on a social scale, however you must remember how militarism came about; we are a tribal species, both males and females being affected.

This means we have a natural distrust for foreign tribes, and we tend to see our own "tribe" as superior.

Militarism came about as the defense of one tribe against another.

[InternalReflexion]

@Reghedable Reg you seem to be saying that military rule by men is inevitable for survival. Interesting theory. Now, who would these invading tribes be that we need to defend ourselves against? Bands of women? No. They would be men who feel that might makes right. That's what men do when left to their own devices; compete for dominance. Their aggression needs to be channeled by women constructively. I agree we do need to defend ourselves but that's different from militarism.

[Dartha999]

@InternalReflexion If by channeled you mean lots of sex , and not having to be locked in marriage then i agree with you 100%

[Reghedable]

@Jupiterconjunct

Militarism can be seen in Egypt, as they mobilized to defend themselves against barbarians from the south and east. Males became more dominant due to our natural physical superiority. I am sorry, but this is a fact -men are stronger in the upper body, designed for more physical labour and, believe it or not, to defend the females in paleolithic periods when they were menstruating, as the blood would attract predators.

[Reghedable]

@Jupiterconjunct

I make no concessions: Men are more aggressive and more impulsive, and more violent in general. I am sorry, it is just in our nature, though most of us do not act on it.

But to generalise us simply because of the actions of a primalistic minority that subjugates women as a throwback to our primal roots, it just doesn't feel right.

I am what you would call a gender centrist.

I believe the best way is to accept each other, despite our differences, as societal equals.

[Jupiterconjunct]

@Reghedable said "Men are more aggressive and more impulsive, and more violent in general..."

Well you got that right!

Reg said "I believe the best way is to accept each other, despite our differences, as societal equals."

I agree, but on what planet do males accept others but themselves as 'societal equals'? NOT on this one thats obvious.

[Jupiterconjunct]

Reg,

Everything Women have gained in the last few decades, ... they fought long and hard for (against oppressive men, bent on destroying the Feminine Divine). Millions of Women lost their lives in vile horrific torturous ways... by men! This was all long before Women even gained the right to vote. Men "gave" Women NOTHING. Who are you trying to kid?

[solidysnake1]

it's fascinating. It makes me rethink my beliefs.

[lisadanielswall]

Very interesting culture. Subtitles are necessary in order to get the message the subjects are trying to convey. I think the film by Journeyman actually has subtitles available.

[ind65roto]

This culture is fantastic, but I am not very happy with that.

[Alice2041]

There is an issue with the video, there is no marriage in this tribe.

[DAREDARVIL]

This is a fantastic culture, worth preserving.

[Jenfucius]

They will go extinct.

[myfreetibet]

@Jenfucius they will assimilate into Tibetans.

[Jenfucius]

@nyfreetibet

They are in Yunnan & Sichuan.

[Jenfucius]

They are one of the strange cultures that I have read about.

[TOPTENoscariglesias]

no thanks

[mimachka]

put some subtitles please

[nizhenyao93]

translations from the Chinese :)

1:44 In our households, women take care of everything,men don’t need to. Only if we’re too busy the men come over and help out.

2:58 The two of us don’t argue. Usually, if there’s something to take care of, it’s just like, “can you come help out?” “ok i’ll come help out.” We take care of it just like that. (No idea what the lady said. . . .) We don’t see one other during the day but we each other in the evenings. We’re happy this way.

[nizhenyao93]

3：55 If we’re not together with men, we have some freedom. We can do things independently. At home helping the family, we can do things as we please. If you’re together, it can’t be this way. If you’re together, and you want to do something, you have to talk with the man. Our way is not to discuss with the men. If we want to go somewhere, we talk with out family members, not with men

[nizhenyao93]

4：40 I don’t wear the ethnic clothing. . . (And some kind of explanation possibly having to with the traditional clothing being old-fashioned.)

8:44 Now, money is handled by the men. And in the house, the men are also the ones who plan things. The important leaders (in China?) are all men as well.

[nizhenyao93]

11:20 Certainly, they cannot be changed. How could we change our customs, our rules? To change our rules would not be okay. There are some of us who do not like them, but they cannot be changed.

[quemacha]

Now what happens if there are only boys born in a family? How is the family lineage carried on in that case?

[krak44]

Do not worry! nature takes care on equal sex spread. The real danger for the community is tourism and curiosity. This will kill them. Find a good story on them on Al Jazeera today!

[Hero1989]

The mosuo generally don't have gender preferences when it comes to children, but when there's a severe imbalance like this they will adopt or trade their boys for girls of another family.

[Alice2041]

They would incorporate a woman from another family (just like they would do with men if the family was all women) But its not likely to happen.

[yeshi919]

There are just like Tibetans, the custom and many other things are very similar.

[ndnsoldierboy]

interesting on how others live their lives in other parts of the world...

[releitse88]

I would love to write my honour's BA thesis on these people!

[SentientComputer]

It is utterly silly not to sub the interviews.

[3rdEYEbeHolder]

probably don't want us to learn anything.....keep Americans nice and miserable

[KHAMTIBET]

Mosuo is a minority ethnic group in Tibetan, which population is only around 40,000. The Mosuo

[sirasy]

they look beautiful and happy!

[12235117657598502586]

WOW!... So the husband lives with his family during the day & only visits his wife & kids in the evenings...No wonder they have good marriages! ;)

[3rdEYEbeHolder]

living with your mother well into adulthood, by tradition?! Thats the only negative part really....needs to get his own hut.

[nynybey]

lolol

[trahtibidahtibidah]

@12235117657598502586

they have not marriages and that a point,so we thought with preconception,

its good idea to liberate yourself, and most of comment there just product of own

mind trials wrote by ppl that not experience other culture seriously, not in tourist way

[PequenaAlice]

@12235117657598502586 you are right i would like to see my husband only few times and be with other boys along day hahaha

[saristaa1]

@12235117657598502586 In Mosuo, there is no word for father or husband. There are only brothers, cousins, uncles and nephews.

[jellybelly903]

@12235117657598502586 LOL, studies HAVE proven that families with heterosexual male presence actually yields worse income for the kids. Thus, heterosexual male presence (either in single-father parenting or coupled heterosexual parenting) is not as efficient as gay/lesbian parenting or single-mother parenting :)

[davidtres28]

@jellybelly903 I agree, but I also would like to add that it is because men feel they must act very masculine and be more emotionally reserved with their children. I also have met many great fathers, of which are emotionally open and willing to talk with their kids. Such parenting is what kids need, openness and honesty with emotions.

[jellybelly903]

@davidtres28 I know, open parenting I believe is what is best. Sheltering children from things or partitioning childrens' knowledge with adult knowledge only breeds distrust and lack of confidence in the kids towards parents/everything. Your explanation of mens' reservedness' connection to bad parenting makes sense. But even with this explanation, a diverse range of men (varying in reservedness levels) were in the study I'm sure. Hopefully, masculinity won't = reserved for too long..

[ajit52]

beautiful

[donottoutube]

the woman, who appeared 9 minutes into the piece, said that she preferred if man were in charge, which was already in practice in her village. She said that this freed girls from having to do house work. but the woman who spoke last in the video said that musuo way of life-matriarchy, should continue. clearly we see difference of opinions coming from two mosuo women.

[jackfrost303]

no...she didn't say that she wanted men to be in charge...she said that men were, in fact, already in charge. She said boys are more likely to be sent to school and the village elders are all men.

[onimotoko]

subs?

[fuufighterfan]

They are speaking in their language, which no written form is available, and with that no translation is possible. For now at least.

[3rdEYEbeHolder]

Then that is what has been protecting them this whole time. When outside colonists (usually catholicism) infiltrate into a culture the first thing they do is learn the written language.

[zefed]

Although (most of) the direct "interviews", when the person speaks directly to the video camera, is in Mandarin Chinese, some parts are in the Mosuo tribe's native language.

[lovelytigress]

Very interesting. Would have been helpful to have translation for the interviews with local people, I would have like to understand their perspective.

[emptyna]

其实有点矛盾,从某种程度保留风俗或许是好的..但是他们总不能­永远都靠旅游过活. 实际上中国文化已经有多少的流失了,新生的一代越来越接近天下大­同.. 或许这是命运, 就如老子说道可道,非常道.

[wangsishuo]

呵呵 就像进化论里 翅膀全的鸟太多了 对那些残废的反倒有些好奇。但这些残废（原始风俗）除了能立异之­外 还有任何推动社会发展的功能么？恐怕没有 该去的怎么保留也保留不了。哎。。

[Discordia5]

The narrator is Australian, and therefore has a certain delivery style. Not only that, but the point of the video may have intentionally been to show how taboo we find this culture. I don't think she was being pretentious. I want to learn more about this culture, it makes SO much sense to me :)

[nynybey]

and its not like men are really less. Just different roles. Each plays their part. I think that they are playing on western ideologies as well.

[mekkabon]

i didn't really hear the snide tone people are talking about o_o

[huasentertainment]

interesting traditions...i will definite find out more about this...

[kanayumikumo]

they call it walking marriage, americans call it booty call...lot of shame in america, its alright over there.

[DMSelena]

Read a book called "Leaving Mother Lake". It will explain all the things this obnoxious reporter wouldn't translate.

[spimpernel]

I'm fascinated by the disapproving tone of the commentator. she obviously thinks that bringing up a child without a father (but with a large family to help) or girls dating freely from age 13 is no good. and only the one woman who embraces "modern" ways of marriage is depicted as truely free. have a look at Juchitan to see that it's possile to preserve matriarchal traditions within a "modern" environment.

[Sacchari]

She had such a snide tone, I couldn't even finish the video.

[kojpuasncokuv]

beautiful people..too bad they don't speak my language.

[nhatnam2513]

One thing to stop dreaming though, I notice that those mosuo girls are not as pretty as chinese girls.

[ClamLuvr]

nhatnam2513, Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Women are available in great variety - black, white, native American, hispanic, Mosuo Chinese, Han Chinese, and many more. And there are cute ones to be found in every group. It's like going into an ice cream shop. You can try a different flavor every time.

[lilze69]

Good ass analogy!!!

[morrigan313]

Why do we have to compare?

[biekar13]

went i visited the lake i thought the opposite. i thought the were the most beautiful people on the whole of china.

[dsworking]

I was there just 10 days ago - our particular road was just about all small "bin guans", or sort of bed and breakfasts. Our "lao zhu" owned her house and courtyard, but had her family build the motel around the courtyard, complete with mini-restaurant and bar and giant speakers with computer chock full of karaoke. There sill is some genuine Mosuo element here - visit soon.

[bronzedisease]

what the hell?we kill girls at birth? idiots

[kathmandu77]

this culture can provide the base for lot of problem that world is going through today.

[dr1gba]

i love chinise

[Fixmanius]

That is truly a unique culture of the world. Too bad what the people said is not translated.

[21woman]

Not even under this rules equality is achieved, but it seems women there are valued for the work they do. Thats the difference.

[WizardJim]

4/5, would have been 5/5 if the people were translated.