Queen mother (Africa)

"Queenmother" redirects here. For other uses, see Queen mother (disambiguation).
Queen mothers with their regalia.
Queen mothers in their regalia

Queen mother (also Queenmother) is a term used to describe certain female traditional rulers in African cultures. Though there is no general description of a "queen mother", as their roles have varied by society, political context, and culture, [1] they generally play an important role in local government and "wield social power and influence."[2]

They are thus an important part of social, political, and cultural institutions across the African continent: the Akan, for example, recognize them as important local political actors[3] and often trace inheritance through them in a matrilineal fashion;[4] whereas in Uganda, the term may be used to describe women who ruled outright.[5] The amount of power queen mothers currently hold has been diminished since pre-colonial times,[6] though the 21st century has seen their influence grow in certain contexts.[7] Many are members of the African Queens and Women Cultural Leaders Network, a voluntary organization.

  1. ^ Farrar, Tarikhu (1997). "The Queenmother, Matriarchy, and the Question of Female Political Authority in Precolonial West African Monarchy". Journal of Black Studies. 27 (5): 579–597. doi:10.1177/002193479702700501. JSTOR 2784870. S2CID 142351141.
  2. ^ "Queen Mothers - Advocates for Change". West and Central Africa. UNICEF. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Resource Information Center (18 October 1999). "Ghana: Information on the "Queen Mother" Tradition among the Kwahu People of Ghana". Refworld. United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  5. ^ Rwakabukoza, Rebecca (3 December 2015). "Uganda: Tracing Uganda's History Through Stories of Motherhood". All Africa. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).