Woman in matriarchal Zapoteca Mexico OaxacaIn researching Hispanic Heritage Month just now, I came upon a film “Blossoms of Fire,” a documentary about a society in Mexico, a largely female-dominated society where women have much more authority and are “in charge” of the men.

It’s my personal belief — and the focus on my studies at New York University — that societies were originall much more matriarchal. My personal focus was 5th century BC Greece, a time when women’s lives were changing significantly and societies were moving in a patriarchal direction but women’s influence remained strong. 

Around the world we have socio-cultural pockets of societies that remain to this day what we call “matriarchal”. The Isthmus Zapotecs of southern Oaxaca, Mexico are such a female-dominated society.