Greed and Breakdown of the System
Greed and Breakdown of the System
INITIATION DRAFT — Ayaawx teaching page explaining how greed disrupts Tsm̱syen social systems, feast law, distribution, wilp governance, and community balance. Greed is not “personal failing”; it is a force that weakens the entire structure of society.
Overview
Ayaawx is built on:
Greed is the opposite force — it takes instead of shares, withholds instead of distributes, and elevates the self instead of the wilp.
When greed enters the system, the entire structure begins to break.
Greed Was Not Traditional
Before colonization, social shame prevented greed from growing:
- wilp responsibility held people accountable,
- matriarchs intervened early,
- feasts redistributed wealth,
- witnesses ensured fairness,
- no one gained status by hoarding,
- and honour was tied to giving, not taking.
Greed existed, but it had **no place to grow**.
Colonization created the conditions where greed could become normalized.
Forms of Greed
Greed can appear as:
- hoarding wealth or food,
- refusing to share fish, berries, or oolichan grease,
- withholding feast contributions,
- taking more than one’s share at distribution,
- using House resources for personal benefit,
- seeking status without responsibility,
- misusing authority for gain,
- seeking money instead of honour,
- treating land as commodity,
- prioritizing self over wilp.
All of these actions violate Ayaawx.
How Greed Breaks Feast Law
Greed harms the feast system by:
- weakening distribution,
- reducing generosity,
- damaging honour,
- creating jealousy and tension,
- confusing youth about proper conduct,
- turning feasts into competition instead of responsibility.
A feast cannot function when people think in terms of “mine” instead of “ours.”
Greed and Wilp Breakdown
In the wilp, greed causes:
- mistrust,
- fractures between families,
- broken relationships,
- refusal to follow matriarch guidance,
- lack of participation in harvesting,
- loss of respect for leadership,
- conflict over money or resources,
- withholding territory knowledge from youth.
A greedy member weakens the entire House.
Colonial Systems and the Rise of Greed
Greed grew as a result of:
- the wage economy,
- scarcity created by displacement,
- residential schools removing youth from distribution,
- government programs that rewarded individualism,
- capitalist values replacing Ayaawx values,
- band council systems based on elections and competition,
- poverty and trauma.
Colonialism taught people to survive through **accumulation**, instead of **responsibility**.
Greed in Leadership
When leaders fall into greed, the harm is multiplied.
Signs of greedy leadership include:
- making decisions for money instead of land,
- ignoring matriarchs,
- blocking transparency,
- withholding information,
- accepting benefits not offered to the wilp,
- using authority for personal status.
Ayaawx teaches that:
- A leader who enriches themselves at the cost of the wilp loses honour and authority.**
Impact on Youth
Youth witness:
- unequal distribution,
- gossip about money,
- tension between Houses,
- people competing instead of supporting.
This destroys:
- their trust in Ayaawx,
- their understanding of generosity,
- their desire to learn,
- their confidence in leadership.
When youth see greed, they stop believing in the system.
Generosity as the Antidote
Ayaawx counters greed with:
- feasts,
- distribution (gwiikxw),
- supporting Elders,
- teaching youth to give first,
- correcting selfish behaviour early,
- matriarch guidance,
- public accountability.
Generosity was — and still is — the backbone of Tsm̱syen law.
Restoring Balance
A system damaged by greed can be repaired by:
- returning to distribution practices,
- putting Elders first,
- sharing food widely,
- teaching youth the harvest cycle,
- prioritizing community over individuals,
- returning decisions to the wilp instead of individuals,
- lifting matriarch authority,
- bringing conflicts into the feast for resolution,
- realigning honour with responsibility.
Ayaawx always has a path back to balance.
Summary
Greed is not just a personal flaw — it is a threat to:
- feast law,
- wilp unity,
- community integrity,
- youth teachings,
- and Tsm̱syen sovereignty.
Ayaawx teaches:
- share,
- distribute,
- support,
- uplift,
- honour your House by giving, not taking.
Generosity builds nations. Greed breaks them.
Notes
INITIATION DRAFT — Will expand with feast examples, matriarch teachings, and historical notes on how distribution was used to counteract greed.