FAQ / Life on Pern / Hold Life: General Information
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Last updated 22nd February 2014 by Suzee
Women's Role in the Holds
Article by: Avery
Exactly what an individual holder woman does depends on factors including their location, age, rank, and marital status. Because of the difference in population size, women at a larger Hold can be assigned to a narrower set of duties. On the other hand, women at a cothold where there are fewer overall hands do a little of everything.
Children spend most of their time in lessons or with their mother. Often as they get older, they are assigned light work to help their family and stay busy, especially in a cothold. For young girls, this work likely includes the basics of cleaning and sewing. Depending on what their hold specializes in, they might learn foraging, fishing and spiderclaw catching, or assisting in food preparation.
Young women who are unmarried have several options. In a cothold, they perform a share of the domestic work assigned by the elder women. Depending on the permissiveness of their head holder, they may also be assigned to tasks in the field. In a minor or major Hold, they may work as drudges under the care of the Headwoman. The types of work they are assigned to include but are not limited to: kitchen, laundry and clothing repair, crèche work, and maintenance and cleaning.
Unmarried younger women from families with rank and wealth are frequently fostered to other Holds. This serves two major purposes: learning from experienced women about the duties of ladies of the Blood, and to broaden the horizon and find potential marriage matches. They are not likely to work as a drudge, but instead serve as personal assistants.
Married women have the added responsibility to take care of their household and their children. At the same time, the Holds need every pair of hands to continue running, so wives continue to contribute by working where they can.
Hold women cannot achieve the same levels of formal recognition as a Crafter or a male Holder, but they can still aspire to high status jobs. Headwoman is the highest ranked position to which women can aspire. Shift supervisor, midwife or herbalist, head cook, or assistant Headwoman are all potential jobs for an ambitious woman to aspire to.
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Exactly what an individual holder woman does depends on factors including their location, age, rank, and marital status. Because of the difference in population size, women at a larger Hold can be assigned to a narrower set of duties. On the other hand, women at a cothold where there are fewer overall hands do a little of everything.
Children spend most of their time in lessons or with their mother. Often as they get older, they are assigned light work to help their family and stay busy, especially in a cothold. For young girls, this work likely includes the basics of cleaning and sewing. Depending on what their hold specializes in, they might learn foraging, fishing and spiderclaw catching, or assisting in food preparation.
Young women who are unmarried have several options. In a cothold, they perform a share of the domestic work assigned by the elder women. Depending on the permissiveness of their head holder, they may also be assigned to tasks in the field. In a minor or major Hold, they may work as drudges under the care of the Headwoman. The types of work they are assigned to include but are not limited to: kitchen, laundry and clothing repair, crèche work, and maintenance and cleaning.
Unmarried younger women from families with rank and wealth are frequently fostered to other Holds. This serves two major purposes: learning from experienced women about the duties of ladies of the Blood, and to broaden the horizon and find potential marriage matches. They are not likely to work as a drudge, but instead serve as personal assistants.
Married women have the added responsibility to take care of their household and their children. At the same time, the Holds need every pair of hands to continue running, so wives continue to contribute by working where they can.
Hold women cannot achieve the same levels of formal recognition as a Crafter or a male Holder, but they can still aspire to high status jobs. Headwoman is the highest ranked position to which women can aspire. Shift supervisor, midwife or herbalist, head cook, or assistant Headwoman are all potential jobs for an ambitious woman to aspire to.
See Also: No articles yet
Referenced By: No articles yet