Crest obligations across all Tsm’syen territories
Crest Obligations Across All Ts’msyen Territories
Across all Ts’msyen (Tsimshian) territories, **crests carry obligations that transcend individual villages, houses, or local governance structures**. While each *wilp* (house) holds specific *adaawx* defining the origin and scope of its crest authority, certain **baseline legal duties are recognized throughout Ts’msyen law**.
These obligations arise from *ayaawx* — not from political appointment, population size, or external recognition.
Foundational Principle
A crest is not a privilege. A crest is a **burden of responsibility**.
Any person, house, or lineage that carries a crest is bound by law to:
- act in accordance with ayaawx
- uphold balance between human and non-human worlds
- accept correction when law is breached
- carry consequences forward, not discard them
Failure to meet crest obligations diminishes authority.
Regardless of crest type, all Ts’msyen crests carry the following duties:
1. Obligation to Law (Ayaawx)
Crest authority exists only within ayaawx.
- No crest holder may place personal interest above law
- No crest may be used to excuse wrongdoing
- Law applies equally to high and low status
2. Obligation to Truth (Adaawx)
Crests are grounded in true histories.
- Origins must be remembered accurately
- Stories may not be altered for advantage
- False claims weaken legal standing
3. Obligation to Relationship
Crests exist within networks of relation.
- Between houses
- Between clans
- Between territories
- Between human and non-human beings
Authority exercised without regard for relationship is unlawful.
4. Obligation to Balance
All crests must act to restore balance when it is broken.
- Excess must be corrected
- Harm must be acknowledged
- Compensation must be made where required
Avoidance of responsibility is itself a violation.
5. Obligation to Witness and Accountability
Crest authority is never private.
- Actions must withstand public witnessing
- Feasts serve as legal confirmation and correction
- Silence in the face of wrongdoing implies consent
Crest-Specific Obligations (Pan-Ts’msyen)
While specific duties vary by house, certain obligations are broadly recognized.
Blackfish (Killer Whale)
- Maintain long memory of law and consequence
- Act collectively rather than individually
- Protect continuity across generations
- Ensure reconciliation after great harm
Blackfish authority is diminished by short-term thinking.
Raven
- Reveal imbalance and misuse of power
- Test law without breaking it
- Carry knowledge across boundaries
- Accept responsibility for disruption caused
Raven may challenge law, but must never abandon it.
Eagle
- Provide clarity and visible leadership
- Act with restraint and fairness
- Serve as moral witness in public matters
- Uphold dignity in decision-making
Eagle authority fails when it becomes detached from the people.
Wolf
- Protect people, land, and agreements
- Enforce ayaawx when violated
- Act decisively but proportionally
- Guard the vulnerable
Wolf authority becomes unlawful when driven by personal aggression.
Territorial Scope of Crest Obligations
Crest obligations do not end at village boundaries.
They extend:
- across rivers, coastlines, and travel routes
- through shared feast networks
- into overlapping and neighboring territories
- into relations with non-Ts’msyen peoples
Crest authority carried into another territory remains bound by Ts’msyen law.
Limits on Crest Authority
No crest grants absolute power. Limits include:
- correction by other houses
- loss of standing through repeated violation
- public challenge through feast and witness
- withdrawal of recognition by the people
Authority persists only through lawful conduct.
Continuity and Transmission
Crest obligations must be taught.
- Names carry living responsibility
- Children inherit duty, not entitlement
- Elders bear responsibility for instruction
- Youth bear responsibility for learning
Failure to teach law endangers its survival.
Living Law
Crest obligations are not historical artifacts. They are **living law**, renewed through:
- proper conduct
- public witnessing
- correction after failure
- continuous teaching
Where obligations are upheld, law remains strong. Where they are abandoned, authority collapses.