Although traditional Puyuma society was organized according to a matriarchal system, with property passed down to daughters and the women having the right to make decisions over family affairs and distribution of money, the rise of the palakuwan meant that the male Puyuma came to hold political authority in the tribe.
傳統的卑南族屬母系社會，財產由女子繼承，行招贅婚，女子在家族事務及錢財支配上有決定權。但由於會所制度的存在，男子因而成為掌握部落政治權力的主體。