The Matrifocal Reality

"They call us a matriarchal society, but that's not accurate," explains Dr. Stéphanie Mulot, sociologist at the Université des Antilles. "We're matrifocal—mothers are central, but they don't hold power. They hold everything together while navigating patriarchal structures. There's a difference."

In the courtyard of a Pointe-à-Pitre housing complex, Sylviane Bourguignon prepares dinner for her three children, two grandchildren, and elderly mother. Her phone rings constantly—her sister needs school supplies money, her son's father wants to discuss weekend visits, her boss needs her to work extra shifts. "I'm the pillar," she says simply. "If I fall, everyone falls."