View source for Acts of protection, sacrifice, or consequence

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     Acts of protection, sacrifice, or consequence
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== Acts of protection, sacrifice, or consequence ==

Acts of protection, sacrifice, or consequence are moments where responsibility is made real through action.  
They demonstrate that authority is not claimed—it is proven.

These acts anchor law in lived reality.

=== Acts of protection ===
Acts of protection occur when a people, house, or individual:
* defends territory or access
* shelters others in times of danger
* safeguards food sources, waterways, or passage
* upholds protocol against violation
* intervenes to prevent harm or imbalance

Protection establishes responsibility to continue that care.

=== Acts of sacrifice ===
Sacrifice involves cost borne for the sake of balance or continuity.

This may include:
* loss of life or safety
* loss of resources or status
* enduring hardship to uphold obligation
* choosing restraint over advantage
* carrying burden so others may endure

Sacrifice deepens responsibility rather than completing it.

=== Acts of consequence ===
Consequence follows when responsibility is violated.

Acts of consequence may include:
* compensation or restitution
* public acknowledgment of harm
* loss or limitation of authority
* correction imposed by others
* long-term obligation carried forward

Consequence restores balance and preserves law.

=== Witnessing of acts ===
Acts gain legal force when witnessed.

Witnessing:
* confirms the act occurred
* fixes responsibility in memory
* prevents denial or revision
* binds future generations to the outcome

Unwitnessed acts lack full authority.

=== Recording in adaawk ===
Adaawk preserve these acts as legal history.

They record:
* what was protected
* what was sacrificed
* what consequences followed
* what obligations remain unresolved

Adaawk prevent heroic myth from replacing accountability.

=== Continuing effect ===
These acts do not end with the moment.

They:
* shape present authority
* justify territorial responsibility
* explain boundaries and obligations
* inform future decision-making

Past acts remain active law.

=== Core principle ===
'''Authority is proven through action and sustained through responsibility.'''  
What was protected, sacrificed, or answered for must continue to be honored.

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== Future links ==
* [[Events that established responsibility]]
* [[Relationships formed between peoples, beings, and places]]
* [[Living Witnesses]]
* [[Feast acknowledgment]]
* [[Adaawk as Legal Memory]]
* [[What happens when responsibilities are violated]]