Changing Patterns of Property Ownership and Inheritance System of the Garo Society in Bangladesh An Overview

Abstract

Property ownership and inheritance system in the Garo society had been transforming for the last many years, and having a direct  influence on their lives and cultural position. Matrilineal Garos’ property ownership and inheritance system was very unique where inheritance always passed down through female line and never to men line. Following the matrilineal system, Garo used to take  mother linage or Mahari name or title for their children. Case studies, observations, FGDs and interview methods have been utilized to collect the ethnographic data from the Garos of Modhupur of Tangail District. It is found that Garos have lost many of their traditional inheritance traits and adopted some outsider inheritance features but still practicing some of their traditional inheritance rules, rituals and characteristics that represent their traditional Garo culture in Bangladesh.