Authority connected to specific territory
Authority Connected to Specific Territory
Authority connected to specific territory arises from the Wilp (Waap).
It is the lawful relationship between a house and the lands and waters entrusted to it.
Wilp (Waap) — House Authority
The Wilp (Waap) is the foundational legal unit of the Nation.
A Wilp holds:
- Authority connected to specific territory
- Responsibility for land, water, and beings
- Custodianship of names, crests, and adaawk
- The duty to uphold Ayaawk within its domain
This authority is inherited, witnessed, and maintained through lawful conduct.
Nature of Territorial Authority
House authority is not ownership.
It is stewardship held in trust, defined by:
- Responsibility rather than possession
- Obligation rather than entitlement
- Care rather than extraction
Territory is not claimed for control, but held to ensure balance, protection, and continuity.
Legal Basis
Territorial authority is established through:
- Adaawk that record how authority was acquired or entrusted
- Witnessed transfers of names and responsibilities
- Continuous fulfillment of obligations to land and people
Failure to uphold these duties weakens legitimacy.
Limits on Authority
A Wilp’s authority is limited by Ayaawk.
Authority does not include:
- Exploitation of land or beings
- Personal enrichment
- Transfer of rights without proper process
- Silence or concealment of harm
Violation invites correction through law.
Relationship to Higher Structures
All higher structures depend upon the legitimacy of the houses beneath them.
Councils, leaders, and assemblies derive authority only insofar as:
- Houses remain lawful
- Responsibilities are fulfilled
- Witnesses continue to recognize legitimacy
When house authority is undermined, all higher authority becomes unstable.