Die Kräfte der Königinmutter im Land der Agni Indénié (Elfenbeinküste)

As the mother, aunt, or uterine sister of the king or chief, the queen mother is regarded as the person who is genealogically closest to the common ancestor. As the true owner of the throne, she is the guarantor who legitimizes and regulates power. In fact, the interactions between the chief or king and the queen mother in so-called matrilineal societies are a social and cultural construct, even though they are justified on an ethnobiological level by the primacy of the flowing blood of the common ancestor. The chief or king and the queen mother form the political pair of this governance system. One cannot rule without the other. The principle of equality also holds a prominent place in this political management, with the female and male shares of power represented by these two actors. Furthermore, each actor benefits from a range of rights and responsibilities by fulfilling their social and cultural obligations. Clearly, the opinion of the queen mother is taken into account just as much as that of her political partner.