Matriarch, a word that can hang so heavy with the history of culture, family and social expectations, and yet can hold a meaning and sense that is so different for each person.
So what does it mean to be a matriarch today?
And is the term and role still even relevant?
Welcome to the conversation, the programme where we speak to two women from around the world about their insights and personal experiences.
I'm Dashiani Navanayagam, and today we're exploring the idea of matriarchy and how it influences us.
Helen Knott is a First nations poet from Canada who has written a memoir reflecting on the strong women in her indigenous community and what it means to be a matriarch in the modern world.
Antonika Gupta is an award winning british playwright who has worked across theatre, television, radio and film, and whose writings celebrate her bengali culture and often challenge gender and race stereotypes.
A very warm welcome to both of you.
Helen, let's start with you.
What does the term mean to you?
Yeah, I was raised by a lot of strong women, so I had a lot of aunties growing up and where Danaza on my maternal side, but I'm also Cree.
And in Cree, the word for auntie actually is like, it translates to little mom.
So they're your secondary moms.
And I was told that our tribe, the Denaza people, were matrilocal, so the women stayed in one place when they were married and the men moved into their community.
So the women were then the holders of knowledge and place.
Knowledge, which was really important.
And for me, in the current context, is like learning how to live within a continuum of care, but also untangling, like how colonization has impacted that and how we relate to each other, how we care for each other, how it shifted our values within a family in a community context as well.
So there's a lot of different elements that come together in that understanding, and I'm sure it differs from family to family, community to community.
And, Tanika, I wonder, do you have a different understanding of the term matriarchy?
I don't think I have a different understanding.