Adaawx as the record of land and title
Adaawx as the Record of Land and Title
In Ts’msyen law, adaawx are the authoritative record of land, title, and responsibility. They are not stories in the casual sense, but **true histories** that carry legal meaning, precedent, and standing under *ayaawx*.
Adaawx establish how land and waters are related to houses (*wilp*), how authority was acquired, and what responsibilities continue into the present.
Foundational Understanding
Adaawx are law-bearing records.
They function as:
- records of origin
- records of relationship to place
- records of stewardship and responsibility
- records of lawful transfer or recognition
- records of precedent
Adaawx do not describe ownership alone; they describe **title through responsibility**.
Land and Title in Ts’msyen Law
Title in Ts’msyen law is not abstract ownership.
It is grounded in:
- first relationship or lawful acquisition
- continued use and stewardship
- recognition through feast and witness
- maintenance of responsibility over time
Adaawx record how these relationships were established and upheld.
Adaawx and the Wilp
Land and title are carried primarily by wilp.
Each wilp holds adaawx that:
- identify specific places and territories
- explain how authority was obtained
- name responsibilities tied to land and waters
- record agreements, boundaries, or shared use
- preserve the memory of lawful conduct
Without adaawx, territorial authority lacks standing.
Adaawx as Legal Precedent
Adaawx function as precedent.
They are used to:
- resolve disputes
- guide interpretation of ayaawx
- determine rightful responsibility
- correct misuse or overreach
- affirm or challenge claims
Past conduct informs present authority.
Witness and Public Confirmation
Adaawx gain and retain authority through witness.
They are:
- recited or referenced in feasts
- confirmed by other houses and clans
- remembered and repeated over time
- subject to challenge and correction
Unwitnessed claims do not become lawful title.
Adaawx and Boundaries
Adaawx may describe:
- named places
- landmarks
- travel routes
- rivers, mountains, inlets, and seas
- points of transition or shared responsibility
Boundaries are relational and contextual, not always fixed lines.
Transfer and Change
Adaawx record lawful changes, including:
- transfers of responsibility
- shared stewardship
- alliances and agreements
- resolution of conflict
- restoration after harm
Change is lawful when it is recorded, witnessed, and remembered.
Relationship to Written Maps and Records
Maps, documents, and written records may assist understanding, but they do not replace adaawx.
Where conflict exists:
- adaawx prevails
- witness prevails
- feast confirmation prevails
Written records without adaawx lack Ts’msyen legal standing.
Protection Against Distortion
Adaawx must be protected from:
- selective quotation
- removal from context
- reduction to folklore
- reinterpretation without authority
Adaawx are living legal records, not historical artifacts.
Teaching Adaawx
Adaawx are taught through:
- oral transmission
- apprenticeship
- feast participation
- lived relationship to place
- correction and repetition
Teaching ensures continuity of title and responsibility.
Living Record
Adaawx are not frozen in the past.
They remain living law through:
- continued stewardship
- public reference
- correction when misused
- reaffirmation in feast
- intergenerational teaching
Where adaawx are remembered and practiced, land and title remain intact.