Do not replace house authority
Do Not Replace House Authority
House authority is foundational in Tsm’syen law.
No council, office, program, or external structure may replace, override, or absorb the lawful authority of a house.
Meaning
House authority arises from Adaawk, names, crests, and witnessed responsibility.
It includes:
- Responsibility for members
- Stewardship of territory
- Care obligations
- Representation in law and decision-making
- Accountability for harm and correction
This authority is not delegated upward. It is carried and exercised at the house level.
Legal Principle
Governance structures exist to coordinate houses — not to replace them.
Any system that substitutes centralized authority for house responsibility violates Ayaawk.
House authority must remain:
- Distinct
- Recognized
- Operational
- Accountable to witnesses
Prohibited Substitutions
The following actions constitute unlawful replacement of house authority:
- Making decisions about house members without house involvement
- Speaking on behalf of a house without lawful mandate
- Centralizing care, discipline, or representation away from houses
- Treating houses as symbolic rather than governing bodies
- Bypassing house processes for administrative convenience
Efficiency does not justify displacement of law.
Councils and Administration
Councils, boards, and administrative bodies:
- Support coordination
- Facilitate shared action
- Carry delegated tasks only
They do not:
- Hold inherent authority over houses
- Override house decisions
- Redefine house responsibilities
- Absorb house jurisdiction
Authority flows through houses, not around them.
Correction
When house authority is replaced or bypassed:
- Legitimacy is weakened
- Responsibility becomes unclear
- Abuse of power becomes possible
- External systems gain influence
Such actions invite correction under Ayaawk, including rebalancing of roles and withdrawal of authority.
Continuity
Houses ensure continuity across generations.
Without them:
- Law becomes abstract
- Care becomes transactional
- Authority becomes personal or political
- Memory and accountability erode
Protecting house authority protects the Nation.