View source for Regular review and renewal through Elders and houses

= Regular Review and Renewal through Elders and Houses =

Ts’msyen law remains strong through regular review and renewal carried out by Elders and houses (*wilp*).  
This process ensures that *ayaawx* remains living, balanced, and responsive without losing continuity or authority.

Review is not a sign of weakness; it is a responsibility.

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== Foundational Understanding ==

Ayaawx is living law.

Living law requires:
* reflection
* reaffirmation
* correction when needed
* renewal through lawful authority

Law that is never reviewed risks stagnation or misuse.

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== Role of Elders ==

Elders are central to review and renewal.

They:
* recall adaawx and precedent
* assess whether principles are being upheld
* guide correction where imbalance appears
* protect interpretive integrity
* consider long-term and intergenerational impact

Elders do not rewrite law; they safeguard it.

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== Role of the Wilp ==

Wilp carry responsibility for lived practice.

Each wilp:
* reflects on how law is being applied
* raises concerns when imbalance arises
* participates in renewal through discussion and witness
* corrects internal conduct
* reaffirms stewardship obligations

Renewal begins where law is lived.

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== Timing and Rhythm of Review ==

Review occurs:
* at feasts and gatherings
* during moments of transition
* after significant harm or dispute
* when new circumstances arise
* across generations

Review follows the rhythm of community life, not rigid schedules.

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== Forms of Review ==

Review and renewal may take many forms, including:
* public discussion guided by Elders
* feast acknowledgment of continuity
* clarification of responsibilities
* reaffirmation of principles
* correction of misapplied rulings
* ceremonial renewal of obligations

Form follows need.

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== Renewal Without Erasure ==

Renewal does not erase the past.

It:
* builds on precedent
* respects earlier rulings
* corrects without denial
* strengthens continuity

Past guidance remains relevant unless lawfully corrected.

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== Relationship to Recorded Knowledge ==

Recorded materials support review but do not control it.

During renewal:
* written records may be consulted
* oral knowledge prevails
* lived practice is weighed
* Elder guidance directs outcome

Records assist memory; they do not decide law.

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== Witness and Accountability ==

Renewal gains authority through witness.

Witness:
* confirms shared understanding
* marks continuity
* holds decision-makers accountable
* prevents quiet drift in meaning

Unwitnessed renewal lacks standing.

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== Protection Against Drift and Capture ==

Regular review:
* prevents gradual reinterpretation
* resists external pressure
* identifies imbalance early
* preserves Ts’msyen authority

Renewal is a form of protection.

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== Responsibility to Future Generations ==

Review and renewal are carried out with future generations in mind.

The goal is to:
* leave law clear but flexible
* preserve authority without freezing meaning
* ensure young people inherit living guidance

What is renewed today becomes tomorrow’s foundation.

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== Living Continuity ==

Through regular review and renewal by Elders and houses:
* ayaawx remains whole
* authority remains grounded
* law remains adaptable
* the Nation remains strong

Continuity is maintained not by fixing law in place, but by caring for it over time.