The responsibilities carried by names and crests

The Responsibilities Carried by Names and Crests

Names and crests carry defined responsibilities within Tsm’syen law. They are not symbols of status or identity alone, but active obligations tied to wilp, land, history, and conduct. To hold a name or crest is to accept responsibility for maintaining balance, protecting relationships, and upholding the integrity of the wilp to which it belongs.

Names carry specific duties related to leadership, stewardship, diplomacy, and accountability. These responsibilities are learned through instruction, Adaawk, and witnessing, and are strengthened through continued participation in feast halls and community life. A name must be actively upheld through conduct; neglect, absence, or misuse weakens the name and may bring consequences upon the individual and the wilp.

Crests function as public markers of responsibility and history. They represent events, relationships, territories, and obligations inherited through time. Displaying or invoking a crest affirms responsibility for what that crest signifies, including the protection of lands, waters, and the relationships established through past actions. Crests therefore carry duties of care, restraint, and remembrance.

The responsibilities attached to names and crests are not optional and cannot be separated from the land and history that give them meaning. They are maintained through public witnessing, contribution, and correct conduct, and corrected through acknowledgment, apology, and restoration when balance is broken.

Through the proper holding of names and crests, law remains visible, accountable, and continuous across generations.