Obligations to land, water, and beings
Obligations to land, water, and beings
Obligations to land, water, and beings arise from relationship, not ownership. They are duties of care, restraint, and accountability that bind authority to place.
Land and water are not resources alone. They are living relations that make law possible.
Scope of obligation
Obligations extend to:
- land and soil
- rivers, lakes, and watersheds
- animals, fish, and plants
- non-human beings and spirit relations
- future generations who will rely on these places
Each relationship carries responsibility.
Source of obligation
Obligations arise from:
- first relationship or encounter
- acts of protection or sacrifice
- continuous use and stewardship
- witnessed agreements and acknowledgment
- survival together during disruption
These obligations precede modern governance systems.
Duties within obligation
Obligations include:
- protection from harm and overuse
- maintenance of balance and access
- respect for cycles and limits
- correction of damage caused
- restraint even when power exists
- teaching future generations proper conduct
Failure to act is a breach of obligation.
Water as jurisdictional responsibility
Water carries heightened obligation.
Those with authority over waters must:
- protect flow and quality
- safeguard fish and dependent beings
- prevent contamination and disruption
- answer for harm moving downstream
Water binds jurisdictions together.
Obligation to non-human beings
Non-human beings are not passive.
They:
- are part of legal relationships
- carry consequences when harmed
- require respect and restraint
- respond to imbalance over time
Ignoring non-human obligation destabilizes law itself.
Witnessing and memory
Obligations are preserved through:
- adaawk
- living witnesses
- feast acknowledgment
- intergenerational teaching
Memory keeps obligation active.
Consequences of breach
When obligations are violated:
- imbalance occurs
- authority weakens
- responsibility follows the name
- restoration or consequence is required
Unaddressed harm compounds over time.
Core principle
To hold authority over place is to answer to the place. Land and water remember what people forget.