• Deiphishisha Chyne

The Khasi community of Meghalaya, India, has long been recognized for its unique matrilineal system, wherein lineage, inheritance, and authority are traced through the maternal line. However, colonialism and Christian missionary activities in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries significantly disrupted this gender system. This paper examines the intersection of British colonialism, Christian missionary efforts, and indigenous resistance in reshaping the Khasi matrilineal structure. Utilizing postcolonial theory, feminist literary criticism, and cultural materialism, the study explores how colonial policies and Christian doctrines imposed patriarchal norms, leading to the erosion of women's authority in Khasi society. While the matrilineal system did not disappear entirely, it underwent a transformation that continues to affect contemporary gender dynamics. Anchored in an analysis of Ka Phan Nonglait: A Lady Freedom Fighter of India by Daniel Stone Lyngdoh, the paper foregrounds Phan Nonglait’s life as a lens through which to understand the complex interplay between resistance, gender, and colonial disruption. By engaging with historical documents, missionary records, and indigenous literature, this study illuminates the cultural, spiritual, and political shifts within Khasi society and how these changes were both contested and negotiated. The enduring legacy of colonial interference highlights the resilience of Khasi women and their ongoing efforts to reclaim and preserve their matrilineal heritage in the face of modern challenges.

Khasi Matriliny, Colonialism, Christianity, Gender Roles, Indigenous Resistance

"DISRUPTING MATRILINY: COLONIALISM, CHRISTIANITY, AND GENDER IN KHASI SOCIETY", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 5, page no.f538-f541, May-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2505660.pdf

"DISRUPTING MATRILINY: COLONIALISM, CHRISTIANITY, AND GENDER IN KHASI SOCIETY", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 5, page no. ppf538-f541, May-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2505660.pdf