Laxyuup — Lands of the Tsm’syen
Laxyuup — Lands of the Tsm’syen
Category: Tsm’syen Law Page status: Working
Purpose
This page describes laxyuup, the lands of the Tsm’syen, and their place within Tsm’syen law. It records how land is understood as a source of law, responsibility, and relationship rather than property.
This page does not define land ownership under external legal systems.
General principles
- Laxyuup is the source of law, identity, and responsibility.
- Land is held through relationship, not possession.
- Authority over land is governed by ayaawx.
- Responsibility to land is collective and ongoing.
- Disconnection from land weakens law.
LAXYUUP
Lands
- Laxyuup refers to the lands of the Tsm’syen.
- Land includes territory, waters, resources, and places of meaning.
- Laxyuup is inseparable from people, law, and history.
- Land is not transferable outside law.
RELATIONSHIP
People and land
- Houses hold responsibility for specific areas of laxyuup.
- Responsibility includes care, use, protection, and respect.
- Use of land carries obligations to others and to future generations.
- Relationship to land is maintained through conduct.
ADAAWX
Legal memory of land
- Adaawx record boundaries, histories, and events tied to laxyuup.
- Stories establish rights, responsibilities, and consequences.
- Elders recall and interpret adaawx when land is in question.
- Adaawx guide lawful use and decision-making.
AUTHORITY
Governance of land
- Authority over laxyuup arises from ayaawx.
- Houses exercise authority within their lawful areas.
- Clan and Nation law govern shared or overlapping lands.
- No authority exists without responsibility.
USE
Lawful interaction
- Land use must align with ayaawx.
- Extraction or alteration requires lawful recognition.
- Harm to land creates imbalance requiring restoration.
- Unlawful use affects standing and trust.
DISPUTE
Conflict and resolution
- Land disputes are addressed through Tsm’syen law.
- Resolution prioritizes restoration of balance.
- Witnessing is required for legitimacy.
- Persistent misuse of land undermines authority.
CONTINUITY
Future responsibility
- Laxyuup must be protected for future generations.
- Decisions consider long-term impact.
- Teaching responsibility to land is essential to continuity.
- Law survives through continued relationship to land.
LIMITS
Boundaries
- Laxyuup is not subject to unilateral alienation.
- External claims do not displace internal law.
- Loss of responsibility weakens authority over land.
- Lawful limits preserve balance.
To be developed
- Documented adaawx tied to specific territories
- Inter-house land responsibilities
- Relationship to water and marine areas
- Interaction with external land claims
- Source citations
Navigation >> Structure of the Nation >> Wilp and Waap Governance >> Inter-House and Inter-Tribal Dispute Law >> Competent Jurisdiction >> Ayaawx >> Adaawx