What Are the Roles & Duties of a Vietnamese Matriarch?
- The typical Vietnamese matriarch has between two and five generations of family living in her home. As the wife of the eldest male in the home, she is in charge of household activities. When the children marry, the men and their wives also live in the house. The daughters-in-law follow the lead of their mother-in-law and take direction from her as to cooking, cleaning and caring for the children. The matriarch is usually in charge of the household budget too, allocating her husband's paycheck or money from agricultural sales as needed.
- Women in the household handle all child care duties. The younger women handle most of the actual care, directed and overseen by the matriarch. Vietnamese children learn at a very young age what is expected of them. It is up to the matriarch and the other women to teach the children to respect the family patriarch and their other elders, to study hard, to be obedient and to be quiet in speech and mannerisms.
- Women take care of all household chores, including cooking and cleaning, and the matriarch is in charge of making sure all tasks are completed to her satisfaction. Vietnam is still largely agricultural, with 84 percent of men and women involved in growing and marketing agricultural products. Women often work in the fields, although heavy work is left to the men. Women also work in the agricultural markets, selling produce and bartering for other goods.
- As the matriarch ages, it becomes the role of the younger generations to take care of her. Most of these tasks fall to the younger women. The matriarch is revered by her family regardless of her age and health. While she may not be able to contribute as much to the family physically as she once did, she is appreciated for her wisdom and all she has done for the family through the years.
