Nature’s Laws both informs and is an Expression of
the "Constitution" of Indigenous Peoples
Constitutional Law as Western legal tradition defines it
is not articulated in Indigenous languages. Equivalent
concepts can be found, however.
Nature’s Laws act as the constitution of Indigenous
peoples, guaranteeing constitutional rights in an Indigenous
system. One affirmation is that the constitutionality of the
People rests in the distinctive languages of the People:
"Aboriginal people from coast to coast tell me something
else as well – that those understandings are contained
within the very structure of their languages. The old
people, for instance, constantly say things like "Our
language is our law." Until recently, I had no idea what
they meant. How could a language not only "say" things, but
also "stand for" things? What did people mean when they said
I would never gain an understanding of Aboriginal approaches
to justice (or any other aspect of their life) until I had
gained some understanding of how different languages can
lead us to different understandings about what life is and
how it should be lived?" (Ross, Returning 99).
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