“MATRIFOCALITY UNDERPINS THE SOCIAL ILLS IN CARIBBEAN SOCIETY”.

“Matrifocality underpins the social ills in Caribbean society”. Discuss in relation to the

relevant theoretical perspectives and the traditional and emergent role of the family in the

contemporary Caribbean.

The structure of matrifocality is deemed as being dysfunctional by structural functionalist

because it does not equate to the expectations of the ideal nuclear family structure. Given that

the family is an institution functioned to “model individuals into socially acceptable adults who

assimilate social values and conform to social norms and who accept this as inevitable”

(Barrow, 1996). Matrifocality does not follow these precepts therefore, structural functionalist

argues that it is linked to a plethora of social problems. In order to derive at a consensus that

matrifocality underpins the social ills in Caribbean society. An understanding of social ills and

matrifocality needs to be deduced in relation to functionalism and the varying traditional and

emergent roles of the family. Social ills are any conditions/issues which persons in a

community/society find undesirable or unfavourable for instance, crime, vagrancy,

unemployment, juvenile delinquency, poverty etc. Matrifocality as inferred by R.T Smith (1973)

who coined the term, is an Afro-Caribbean family structure which is characterized by having a

‘mother-cantered’ household in the West Indies that lived in consanguineal households and

practiced post-marital matrilocal residence (Mustapha, 2013, p.146). Structural functionalist

have linked the occurrence of the plantation society and economic factors to matrifocality among

lower-class Negro family structures, thusly contributing to poverty and juvenile delinquency.

After the obliteration of slavery, the advent of industrialization created an avenue for

blacks, particularly men, to migrate in pursuit of employment to support their families. This

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 “MATRIFOCALITY UNDERPINS THE SOCIAL ILLS IN CARIBBEAN SOCIETY”. 2

change left behind a prevalent feature in ‘mother cantered’ households in the Caribbean society.

To corroborate this M.G. Smith (1965) noted that the legacy of slavery impacted the dominance

of matrifocality because of the instability of the family union on plantations (Mustapha, 2013).

Matrifocality have been evidently linked to the plantation system where this family structure

occurred through the displacement of males from their families. This ‘male absenteeism’ is due

to the constant movement of men/fathers from their families across plantations. Male

absenteeism is still evident and prevalent in today’s society because society’s traditional ideology

is that men are expected to be the providers of the family. Consequently, male marginalization

has increased and with this societal problems. With the marginal roles that husband-father plays,

there is a lack of a disciplinary agent. Disciplining children may become increasingly difficult,

especially the boys. We can agree that there is a vital need for a male figure present in the lives

of children to ensure their proper upbringing. The instability of matrifocal structures presents a

higher chance of juvenile delinquency and societal menace. To substantiate this occurrence, in

addition to the structural functionalist studies of matrifocality in Caribbean societies. Faith D.

Innerarity, the former Director of Social Security in Jamaica, highlighted the pertinent link

between juvenile delinquency and family instability derived from the matrifocal structure. It is

of extreme importance to note this claim is supported by evidential data collected from a micro

study conducted in Grenada which was published in the World Family Policy Forum 2000.

Where the group under review were prisoners in relation to their socioeconomic background.

Astoundingly, many of these prisoners were juveniles under the age of fifteen years.

Furthermore, the study revealed most participants were from low-income families, which were

also mother-centred (Inerarity, n.d). Consequently, matrifocality does contribute to societal ills.

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 “MATRIFOCALITY UNDERPINS THE SOCIAL ILLS IN CARIBBEAN SOCIETY”. 3

This is plausible to say that many lower-class Caribbean households have been greatly

influenced by the economic sufferings after slavery. As identified by Murdock, one key function

of the family is the provision of economic resources to ensure survival (Mustapha, 2013, p. 134).

Provision of these economic factors were examined based on gender roles within the ideal family

unit. Due to the marginalization of male role and their inability to economically provide for their

family. Mothers are becoming economical providers and in some instances, the sole economic

earner. She also becomes the emotional and intellectual provider of the family even though a

father may be present. The father may believe that it is not his place to enforce and disciplinary

measures and be comfortable with his marginalized role. On the other hand, in an article in the

Jamaican Gleaner, a report composed by Professor Barry Chevannes, co-founder of Father’s

Incorporated, showed that some fathers are indeed making their contributions towards parenting.

They are actively participating in the child-rearing process, reducing the burden on their female

counterpart He further states “some men are hindered by the inability to fulfil their roles.”

(Palmer, 2012). This further perpetuates the growing trends of matrifocality and the increased

financial burdens of these women-centred households.

Change is inevitable and this is evident in the shift of traditional and emergent family

roles in the contemporary Caribbean society. Traditional roles by structural functionalist were

regarded as the norms by which Caribbean family structures should aspire to or in essence the

proper/right family model for child-rearing. In most societies there were distinct social roles

within the family unit. Observation of these are clearly highlighted in works of R.T Smith and

other structural functionalist, in their studies within the Caribbean. The used the prescribed

model of the femininity image to measure their nuclear family structure vise a vie that of

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 “MATRIFOCALITY UNDERPINS THE SOCIAL ILLS IN CARIBBEAN SOCIETY”. 4

matrifocality. Traditionally, mothers-women were expected to conform to the norms, behave in a

chaste and respectable manner and tasked with solely domestic affairs. As described by Smith,

the kitchen being the ‘woman's domain’ and as cited in Greenfield 1966, pg. 106, the women

were “confined to the domestic domain, spending a greater part of their time within their own

household and yard.” (Barrow, 1996). However, the husband-father role were primarily

associated to being the economic provider and disciplinarian as stated by Henriques, (1953:111),

“the final authority in all disputes.” Which according to Smith (1956 [1971]:79) is a “well

established system.” (Barrow, 2001). On the other hand, matrifocality is operating on the

opposite spectrum to these prescribed models of the nuclear family, in accordance with the

European ways. Giving rise to an increasing trend of matrifocality in the contemporary

Caribbean. An emergent trend as highlighted throughout this piece is that matrifocality has

financially emancipated women. Additionally, the matrifocal family structure is demolishing the

traditional gender roles and adversely increasing the parenting burden of women. Which in turn

increase societal ills such as poverty and juvenile delinquency.

In the Caribbean studies conducted by R. T Smith, E. Clarke and M.G. Smith, they were

successfully able to equate matrifocality to poverty and juvenile delinquency. This family

structure was more prevalent in the lower- class Negro family. This was highlighted in Edith

Clarke’s work and her findings of the three communities studied, were in lower nuclear family

structured communities “family life is highly unstable, marriage rates are low, especially during

the earlier phases of adult life, and illegitimacy rates have always been high.” (Clarke, 1999).

The evolution and continual change from the ideal nuclear family structure to a dysfunctional

structure such as matrifocility is therefore considered as a construct to social ills. In light of the

information presented, I vehemently agree that martifocality undeniably underpins social ills in

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 “MATRIFOCALITY UNDERPINS THE SOCIAL ILLS IN CARIBBEAN SOCIETY”. 5

Caribbean society. Along with the functional contrast between traditional and emergent role of

the family.

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 “MATRIFOCALITY UNDERPINS THE SOCIAL ILLS IN CARIBBEAN SOCIETY”. 6

References

Barrow, C. 1996. Functions. In Family in the Caribbean:Themes and Perspectives, pp. 9–

25. [PDF Document]. Lecture notes Online Website:

http://201620.tle.courses.open.uwi.edu/pluginfile.php/43802/mod_resource/content/3/Uni

t7.pd

Barrow, C. 2001. Men, women and family in the Caribbean: a review. In Caribbean Sociology

Introductory Readings. pp. 418-424. [PDF Document]. Lecture notes Online Website:

http://201620.tle.courses.open.uwi.edu/pluginfile.php/43802/mod_resource/content/3/Uni

t7.pdf

Clarke, E. (1999). My Mother Who Fathered Me: A Study of the Families in Three Selected

Communities of Jamaica. Kingston, Jamaica: University of the West Indies Press.

Retrieved March 24, 2017, from

http://web.b.ebscohost.com.library.open.uwi.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzI

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041590edd601@sessionmgr102&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_v&rid=0

Innerarity, F. D. (n.d.). Marriage and Family in the Caribbean. Retrieved March 24, 2017, from

http://www.law2.byu.edu/wfpc/forum/2000/Innerarity.pdf

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 “MATRIFOCALITY UNDERPINS THE SOCIAL ILLS IN CARIBBEAN SOCIETY”. 7

Mustapha, N. (2013) Sociology for Caribbean Students, Second Edition, Kingston, Ian Randle

Publishers (Module 1) Available at

http://web.a.ebscohost.com.library.open.uwi.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXz

Y2ODQxNF9fQU41?sid=e060b697-52be-4235-9e8a

a4c4936c9b75@sessionmgr4007&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_vii&rid=0

Palmer, S. A. (2012, December 09). The Evolving Family. The Jamacian Gleaner. Retrieved

March 24, 2017, from http://jamaicagleaner.com/gleaner/20121209/news/news97.html

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