Authority of name holders

Authority of Name Holders

The authority of name holders arises from responsibility carried in relation to law, territory, and community. Authority is not personal power, rank, or privilege; it emerges from the correct holding and fulfillment of obligations attached to a name.

Names carry instruction. A name holder is entrusted with specific duties connected to a house (wilp / waap), territory, history, and relationships. Authority exists only to the extent that these duties are actively upheld through conduct, participation, and accountability.

Authority is recognized publicly through witnessing. Name holders must be present, engaged, and responsive within the feast system and other lawful settings. Absence, neglect, or misuse of a name weakens authority and may require correction, instruction, or transfer of responsibility.

The authority of a name holder is relational rather than absolute. It operates within a network of other name holders, houses, and agreements. No name holder acts in isolation, and authority is constrained by the responsibilities of others and by the need to maintain balance.

Authority may be strengthened, diminished, or withdrawn depending on conduct. When a name holder fulfills obligations properly, authority is affirmed and continuity is reinforced. When obligations are violated or ignored, Ayaawk remains active until responsibility is restored or authority is reassigned through lawful process.

Through the authority of name holders, Ayaawk is carried in living form. Law remains grounded in people who embody responsibility, ensuring that authority remains accountable, visible, and continuous across generations.

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Related Concepts (To Be Developed)

• Responsibilities Attached to Names
• Limits of Name Authority
• Loss or Suspension of Name Authority
• Collective Authority of Houses
• Witnessing Name Conduct

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