Ayaawx as the primary jurisdiction of the Tsm’syen Nation
Ayaawx as the Primary Jurisdiction of the Ts’msyen Nation
For the Ts’msyen Nation, ayaawx is the **primary and supreme jurisdiction**. All authority, governance, responsibility, and law flow from ayaawx.
Ayaawx predates external governments, written statutes, and imposed legal systems. It remains the living source of Ts’msyen law, binding across all territories, houses (*wilp*), clans (*pdeex*), and generations.
Foundational Assertion
Ayaawx is law.
It is not:
- custom
- tradition
- culture alone
- advisory principle
Ayaawx is the **original legal order** of the Ts’msyen Nation and governs all internal affairs.
Scope of Ayaawx Jurisdiction
Ayaawx governs:
- land and waters
- houses (*wilp*) and their authority
- clans (*pdeex*) and kinship law
- names, crests, and succession
- adoption and membership
- dispute resolution and compensation
- ceremony, feast, and witness
- inter-house and inter-tribal protocols
- accountability and correction
- relationships with other Nations
No Ts’msyen matter exists outside ayaawx.
Ayaawx and Territorial Authority
Ayaawx establishes jurisdiction over Ts’msyen territory.
Territorial authority under ayaawx includes:
- stewardship responsibilities
- access and use rules
- protection of sacred and restricted areas
- resolution of territorial disputes
- regulation of travel and passage
Territory is governed through relationship and responsibility, not ownership alone.
Ayaawx and Governance Structures
All Ts’msyen governance structures derive authority from ayaawx, including:
- wilp (houses)
- clan groupings (pdeex)
- hereditary name holders
- Elders
- feasts as legal forums
- councils and assemblies
- a National Council of Elders
These bodies do not replace ayaawx; they **carry it forward**.
Ayaawx and Decision-Making
Under ayaawx:
- decisions must be witnessed
- authority must be accountable
- balance must be maintained
- correction must be possible
Decisions made outside ayaawx lack legitimacy within Ts’msyen law.
Ayaawx and External Legal Systems
Ayaawx is not subordinate to external law.
Where external legal systems exist:
- Ts’msyen participation does not extinguish ayaawx
- cooperation does not imply surrender of jurisdiction
- agreements must respect Ts’msyen law to be legitimate
- reinterpretation without consent is unlawful
Ayaawx remains the standard by which external interaction is judged.
Interpretation of Ayaawx
Ayaawx is interpreted through:
- adaawx (true histories)
- Elder knowledge
- feast precedent
- lived practice
- collective memory
Interpretation restores balance; it does not rewrite law.
A National Council of Elders serves as the collective keeper and interpreter of ayaawx when guidance is required across communities.
Limits and Accountability
Ayaawx limits power.
It:
- restrains authority
- requires justification
- demands correction
- protects future generations
No person, house, or body may place itself above ayaawx.
Ayaawx as Living Law
Ayaawx is not frozen in the past.
It is living law that:
- adapts to new circumstances
- remains grounded in principle
- is renewed through ceremony
- is taught through apprenticeship
- is preserved through witness
Continuity does not require stagnation.
Assertion of Jurisdiction
The Ts’msyen Nation asserts that:
- ayaawx is its primary jurisdiction
- Ts’msyen law governs Ts’msyen affairs
- authority flows from responsibility, not delegation
- law is sustained through relationship, witness, and balance
Where ayaawx is respected, Ts’msyen governance remains whole.