Elders may exist within or outside formal leadership roles

Elders May Exist Within or Outside Formal Leadership Roles

Statement

Elders may exist within or outside formal leadership roles.

Meaning

In Tsm’syen law, elder recognition is not dependent on holding office, title, or formal leadership position.

An elder may serve within a leadership role, or may hold no formal role at all.

Elder authority arises from recognition, not position.

Within leadership roles

Some elders may also serve as:

• House leaders
• Advisors
• Spokespersons
• Representatives in modern governance structures

When elders hold formal roles, their elder responsibilities remain subject to law and witnesses.

Formal authority does not expand elder authority.

Outside leadership roles

Many elders hold no formal position.

They may:

• Offer guidance when asked
• Interpret ayaawx and adaawx
• Warn against imbalance or misuse of authority
• Serve as witnesses and memory holders
• Refuse participation when law is being violated

Lack of office does not diminish elder recognition.

Separation of recognition and office

This separation ensures:

• Elder authority is not captured by institutions
• Leadership roles do not become sources of unchecked power
• Guidance is not mistaken for command
• Elders remain free to speak honestly

Office may end. Recognition continues only while conduct remains lawful.

Protection against misuse

This principle prevents:

• Creating “elder councils” solely to legitimize decisions
• Treating elders as extensions of leadership authority
• Excluding elders who refuse political alignment
• Equating governance structure with legal legitimacy

Elders are not instruments of governance.

Relationship to law

Whether inside or outside leadership roles, elders:

• Operate within ayaawx
• Remain accountable to witnesses
• Do not override house or clan jurisdiction
• Do not act unilaterally

Cross-references

• Elders as Interpreters of Law
• Elders Are Recognized Through Age, Experience, and Conduct
• Elder Recognition Is Witnessed Over Time
• Elders Operate Within, Not Above, Tsm’syen Law
• Authority Arises from Trust, Conduct, and Knowledge
• Interpretation Does Not Equal Unilateral Decision-Making
• Limits on Authority
• Witnesses and Public Memory