Elders do not replace house or clan authority
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Core Principle
Elders do not replace house or clan authority.
Meaning
In Tsm’syen law, authority is distributed and relational. Houses and clans hold inherent jurisdiction over their members, territories, names, and responsibilities.
Elders support, advise, and clarify law; they do not assume or displace the authority held by houses or clans.
General Principles
- House authority remains primary: Houses retain decision-making authority within their lawful domain.
- Clan authority remains intact: Clan responsibilities and governance are not absorbed by elders.
- Advisory role of elders: Elders provide guidance, not command.
- Distributed authority: Law is upheld through multiple, balanced centers of authority.
- Respect for jurisdiction: Elders act within, not beyond, the boundaries of house and clan authority.
Lawful role of elders
Elders may:
- clarify Ayaawx as it applies to a dispute or question
- advise houses or clans on process and balance
- recall precedent through Adaawx
- help prevent escalation or misuse of power
- assist in restoring relationship when asked
Elders do not:
- issue binding decisions in place of houses or clans
- assume jurisdiction over names, crests, or territory
- override house-based accountability
- centralize authority
Limits
- Elders do not act as a governing body unless lawfully constituted.
- Authority exercised without house or clan consent lacks legitimacy.
- Persistent overreach damages trust and limits interpretive authority.
Modern context
This principle protects Tsm’syen governance from:
- centralization of power
- advisory bodies becoming de facto rulers
- external systems that favor hierarchical control
- erosion of house-based law and responsibility