Ah, called out! Confession: I actually don’t think it really is a true matriarchy, or ever has been. In reality, it is matrilineal, Matrilocal, and matrifocal but not actually matriarchal. The clan chiefs have always been men, though the clan system itself and inheritance is all matrilineal, which made it the social system somewhat balanced. But when Europeans came, they were subject to their own biases about gender roles, and therefore dealt solely with the chiefs, reinforcing their leadership. In my opinion, it stuck even as other traditions faded.

Also, the council in anything approaching this form has only existed for 100 years. Women first stated joining it, though not as speaker, within the first 20 years of its inception. The tribal presidency has only existed since the 1980s, and the current Vice President is a woman. I think that between those things, it really makes sense that these are new things.

If you asked my grandmother though, she would laugh at you and ask why women would need to have roles like that when they are so busy running everything anyway?