Elders operate within, not above, Tsm’syen law.

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Elders Operate Within, Not Above, Tsm’syen Law

Statement

Elders operate within, not above, Tsm’syen law.

Meaning

In Tsm’syen law, no person stands above ayaawx.

Elders hold responsibility for interpretation, memory, and guidance, but their role exists inside the law, not over it.

Authority is constrained by law, not exempt from it.

Role of elders

Elders operate within law by:

  • Interpreting ayaawx and adaawx
  • Recalling precedent and consequence
  • Guiding restoration and balance
  • Warning against unlawful conduct
  • Refusing to legitimize misuse of authority

Their role strengthens law through restraint, not dominance.

What elders do not possess

Elders do not possess:

  • Absolute authority
  • Unilateral decision-making power
  • Immunity from accountability
  • The right to override house or clan jurisdiction
  • Authority to suspend ayaawx

Any claim of exemption weakens legitimacy.

Accountability

Elders remain accountable through:

  • Witnesses
  • Public memory
  • Lawful conduct
  • Continued trust of the community

Elder authority endures only while recognition continues.

Protection against misuse

This principle prevents:

  • Elevation of elders into rulers
  • Use of age or knowledge to dominate
  • Substitution of guidance for command
  • Quiet accumulation of unchecked authority

Respect does not eliminate limits.

Modern context

In modern governance settings, elder authority is sometimes misrepresented as:

  • Advisory veto power
  • Cultural endorsement of external decisions
  • Moral cover for unilateral action

Such uses are inconsistent with Tsm’syen law.

Summary principle

Elders protect the law by remaining subject to it. Law remains intact because no one stands above it.

Cross-references

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