View source for Obligations carried by houses and clans

== Obligations Carried by Houses and Clans ==

Obligations carried by houses and clans arise from original instructions, lawful relationships to territory, and continuity of responsibility across generations. Houses (wilp / waap) and clans exist to collectively carry duties that cannot be held by individuals alone.

Houses hold specific obligations to lands, waters, names, crests, and people within their care. These obligations include stewardship, protection, hosting and witnessing in lawful settings, maintaining Adaawk, and ensuring that responsibilities attached to names are upheld and transferred properly. A house functions as a vessel for law, ensuring continuity beyond any single lifetime.

Clans carry broader obligations that extend across multiple houses. These include maintaining balance between related houses, upholding inter-house agreements, supporting dispute resolution, and providing structure for mutual accountability. Clan obligations ensure that authority and responsibility remain distributed and relational rather than concentrated.

Obligations are fulfilled through collective action. Participation in feasts, ceremonies, witnessing, compensation, and renewal of relationships are not optional expressions of culture but necessary acts of law. When houses or clans fail to meet their obligations, imbalance arises that affects not only individuals but wider relationships.

Authority held by houses and clans depends on the proper fulfillment of these obligations. When responsibilities are carried correctly, authority is affirmed and trust is maintained. When obligations are neglected or violated, Ayaawk remains active and requires correction through lawful processes.

Through the obligations carried by houses and clans, Ayaawk remains stable and continuous. Law is sustained by collective responsibility, ensuring that balance, accountability, and continuity are maintained across generations.


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=== Related Concepts (To Be Developed) ===

* [[House Stewardship Responsibilities]]
* [[Clan-Level Accountability]]
* [[Collective Fulfillment of Obligations]]
* [[Failure of House or Clan Responsibility]]
* [[Restoration of Collective Balance]]