What age would you choose to live?

[Duguntz]

Yeah, you right, you right. Exceptions probably made for the chiefdoms, hereditary positions were more of a strict responsibility than a right or privilege. In the northern bands of the Great Plains, if you weren't doing what your people wanted you to do, then they would just leave your band and migrate to the band of another chief, if not simply strip you of your responsibility outright. Besides, power was also shared with the council, the elders, and the warchiefs, so once again, being a hereditary chief was more about representing the will of your people rather than being something of an absolute monarch (in the case of my own ancestors, anyways).

Of course, the role of chief wasn't always hereditary in present-day Canada, nor was it the only hereditary position in many cases. After all, Canada is a huuuuuuge place, spanning across 1/3 to 1/2 of a huuuuuuge continent, and the countless cultures vary... alot. This should probably be taken into account, since we live half-way across the continent from each other, my Algonquin brother.

It should certainly be taken into consideration! as the distinction is to be made between cultural groups (algonquin, Cree, Mohawks, etc...) but also, each band had their own habits and traditions ;) As for algonquin, the ''political'' power was mostly in the hands of the women as it was a matriarcal society, the role of cheif, though having power within the band, was more concentrated on war and commerces, alliances, well, inter-band questions. but at home, hehe, mama ruled (along with the elders). Wich was very surprising for Champlain when he made alliance with the algonquin against the Iroquois and the red-coats, as his emissaries told him that, though men were speaking, decision were, for a big part, made by women! (what a change, for a european who's used to the egemony of man!) this is about all i know about the politics of my ancestors!

I've a question, I told you my people, i don't recall (or maybe don't remember) where you come from, i know the name of your ancestor, but not even what group he was from!