This study examines the Igbo women of Southeastern Nigeria from the eve of colonial intrusion to the imposition of colonialism, the Women’s War of 1929, and its aftermath. By placing the Women’s War into the context of the stripping away of inherent rights guaranteed them by matriarchy following the imposition of patriarchy upon the society, this study provides a new explanation of the women’s involvement and lack of male participation in the war. Under traditional matriarchal umbrellas, through their networks and social groups and by the banding together of all women, the Igbo Women’s War of 1929 was the beginning of the struggle for the re-gaining of women’s rights in Southeastern Nigeria. Through the examination of primary sources, current historiography, and the voices of the women themselves, this study demonstrates the women’s reasons for rising up, what they lost with the imposition of patriarchy, and what they stood to gain.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study examines the Igbo women of Southeastern Nigeria from the eve of colonial intrusion to the imposition of colonialism, the Women’s War of 1929, and its aftermath. By placing the Women’s War into the context of the stripping away of inherent rights guaranteed them by matriarchy following the imposition of patriarchy upon the society, this study provides a new explanation of the women’s involvement and lack of male participation in the war. Under traditional matriarchal umbrellas, through their networks and social groups and by the banding together of all women, the Igbo Women’s War of 1929 was the beginning of the struggle for the re-gaining of women’s rights in Southeastern Nigeria. Through the examination of primary sources, current historiography, and the voices of the women themselves, this study demonstrates the women’s reasons for rising up, what they lost with the imposition of patriarchy, and what they stood to gain.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Kies, Samantha Mallory"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"History and Philosophy","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2013,"date_issued":"2013-03-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2013-03-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:57Z","subjects":["colonies","matriarchy","Nigeria","Igbo","Women's War of 1929","African History"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/537","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Kies, Samantha Mallory"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-04-04T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["History and Philosophy"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["colonies","matriarchy","Nigeria","Igbo","Women's War of 1929","African History"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/537"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study examines the Igbo women of Southeastern Nigeria from the eve of colonial intrusion to the imposition of colonialism, the Women’s War of 1929, and its aftermath. By placing the Women’s War into the context of the stripping away of inherent rights guaranteed them by matriarchy following the imposition of patriarchy upon the society, this study provides a new explanation of the women’s involvement and lack of male participation in the war. Under traditional matriarchal umbrellas, through their networks and social groups and by the banding together of all women, the Igbo Women’s War of 1929 was the beginning of the struggle for the re-gaining of women’s rights in Southeastern Nigeria. Through the examination of primary sources, current historiography, and the voices of the women themselves, this study demonstrates the women’s reasons for rising up, what they lost with the imposition of patriarchy, and what they stood to gain.
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"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/537"],"dc:subject":["colonies","matriarchy","Nigeria","Igbo","Women's War of 1929","African History"],"dc:title":["Matriarchy, the colonial situation, and the women's war of 1929 in southeastern Nigeria"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["History and Philosophy"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (MA)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:57Z"}