Respectful coexistence with band and municipal systems

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Respectful Coexistence with Band and Municipal Systems

Ts’msyen people today live within and alongside band and municipal systems created under external legal frameworks. Respectful coexistence with these systems is necessary for daily life, services, and administration, while **Ts’msyen law grounded in ayaawx remains intact and authoritative**.

This page describes how coexistence can occur without eroding Ts’msyen jurisdiction, responsibility, or identity.

Foundational Understanding

Band and municipal systems are administrative structures.

They:

  • manage services and programs
  • operate under external statutes
  • function within imposed boundaries

Ayaawx:

  • predates these systems
  • governs Ts’msyen law and responsibility
  • remains living and continuous
  • is not replaced by administration

Coexistence does not mean equivalence of authority.

Different Sources of Authority

Band and municipal authority derives from:

  • delegated powers
  • legislation
  • administrative mandates
  • time-limited offices

Ts’msyen authority derives from:

  • ayaawx
  • adaawx
  • wilp stewardship
  • clan relationships
  • Elder guidance
  • feast and witness

Confusing these sources creates imbalance.

Practical Coexistence

Respectful coexistence includes:

  • cooperation on services and infrastructure
  • coordination on land use where required
  • communication on matters of shared impact
  • practical arrangements for daily governance

Cooperation is pragmatic, not a surrender of law.

Protection of Ts’msyen Law

In coexistence:

  • band or municipal processes do not redefine ayaawx
  • administrative decisions do not extinguish wilp authority
  • participation does not imply consent to reinterpretation
  • Ts’msyen law remains the guiding standard internally

Administrative convenience does not override law.

Matters Requiring Traditional Guidance

Certain matters require guidance under ayaawx regardless of administrative involvement, including:

  • land and water stewardship
  • environmental harm and restoration
  • cultural sites and practices
  • inter-house or inter-tribal relations
  • long-term impacts on future generations

Administrative systems must defer where law applies.

Communication and Respect

Respectful coexistence depends on:

  • clear communication of roles and limits
  • mutual respect without assimilation
  • transparency in decision-making
  • willingness to pause where law requires reflection

Silence must not be mistaken for consent.

Resolving Tension

Tension may arise between systems.

When it does:

  • ayaawx governs Ts’msyen response
  • Elders may be consulted
  • wilp authority is respected
  • restraint and dialogue are favored

Conflict is resolved through law, not dominance.

Accountability and Witness

Agreements or understandings with band or municipal systems gain strength through:

  • public acknowledgment
  • community discussion
  • witness where appropriate
  • clear articulation of limits

Unwitnessed arrangements risk erosion of authority.

Living Coexistence

Coexistence is not static.

It:

  • adapts to changing circumstances
  • requires ongoing attention
  • benefits from regular review
  • must remain grounded in ayaawx

Respectful coexistence protects both daily function and long-term continuity.

Continuity

Through respectful coexistence:

  • Ts’msyen people navigate modern systems
  • law remains whole
  • authority remains grounded
  • future generations inherit clarity, not confusion

We live within multiple systems, but we are governed by our own law.

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