How community knowledge is gathered and recorded
How Community Knowledge Is Gathered and Recorded
Community knowledge within the Ts’msyen Nation is gathered and recorded with care, respect, and restraint. Knowledge is not extracted or claimed; it is **shared through relationship**, consent, and responsibility.
This page describes how knowledge may be gathered and recorded while honoring *ayaawx*, protecting authority, and leaving space for those who carry deeper knowledge.
Foundational Understanding
Knowledge is relational.
Under Ts’msyen law:
- knowledge is carried by people, houses, and places
- not all knowledge is meant to be shared publicly
- consent and context matter
- recording does not transfer ownership or authority
Listening comes before recording.
Sources of Community Knowledge
Community knowledge may come from:
- Elders
- hereditary name holders
- wilp members
- clan knowledge keepers
- harvesters and stewards
- lived experience and practice
- adaawx shared in appropriate settings
No single source holds all knowledge.
Consent and Permission
Knowledge is gathered only with consent.
This includes:
- understanding who is authorized to share
- respecting limits on what may be recorded
- honoring requests for privacy or restriction
- accepting withdrawal or correction
Consent may be ongoing, conditional, or withdrawn.
Knowledge may be shared through:
- conversation and teaching
- observation and apprenticeship
- participation in work or ceremony
- storytelling and adaawx
- public discussion or feast
- correction and guidance over time
Some knowledge is learned by doing, not asking.
Recording Knowledge
When knowledge is recorded, it is done to:
- support memory
- prevent loss
- aid future learning
- protect against distortion
- keep pathways open
Recording may include:
- written notes
- audio or video
- maps or diagrams
- summaries of process
- references to adaawx
Recording is descriptive, not declarative.
What Is Not Recorded
Some knowledge is not recorded.
This may include:
- sacred or restricted teachings
- knowledge tied to specific persons or names
- information that could cause harm if shared
- teachings meant only for certain times or roles
Not recording is also a form of protection.
Attribution and Context
Where appropriate, recorded knowledge:
- acknowledges its source
- notes context and limits
- avoids claiming completeness
- remains open to correction
Anonymity may be used where requested.
Review, Correction, and Refinement
Recorded knowledge remains open.
It may be:
- corrected
- clarified
- expanded
- set aside
Correction strengthens the record and honors the source.
Role of Community Review
Community review helps ensure:
- accuracy
- respect
- balance
- proper limits
Review may occur informally or through gathering, discussion, or witness.
Relationship to Authority
Recording knowledge does not create authority.
Authority remains with:
- wilp
- clans
- Elders
- lawful knowledge holders
- ayaawx itself
This work supports authority; it does not replace it.
Responsibility to the Future
Knowledge is gathered and recorded with future generations in mind.
The goal is to:
- leave guidance without freezing law
- prevent loss without claiming ownership
- support learning without narrowing meaning
We record carefully so those who come after us may listen more deeply.
Living Process
Gathering and recording community knowledge is a living process.
It requires:
- patience
- humility
- consent
- correction
- care
Where this process is respected, knowledge remains alive and law remains whole.