ABSTRACT
An ancient custom of the Aboriginal Americans was to call a council œre when decisions affecting the whole tribe or nation needed to be made. To sit in council as a representative of the people was an honor that had to be earned through many years of truthfulness, bravery, compassion, sharing, listening, justice, being a discreet counselor, and so on. These qualities were necessary because a council œre, by its very nature, was a time to examine every point of view and explore every possibility of a situation that would in some way affect the whole of the people’s destiny.
