Embracing Ancestral Wisdom: Crafting an Agreement Cancellation Letter with Respect and Precision

Respect is an integral part of the Waitaha culture. It is something that is required and earned with training and changes to behaviour. Respect was always part of the learning. Respectful behaviour towards the elders and the community leaders was paramount, whether in communication, walking at fishing, or other daily activities. It was said that without respect there would be no peace among the tribe. This is true today and applies to the whole world. Respect comes from tranquility and peace. Without peace, there is no respect. It should be noted here that peace is also connected with clarity of purpose. To maintain peace, everyone needs to understand their role and the context of communication and industry for the benefit of all, to enjoy peace, in all areas. An understanding that cultural differences require different training and use of the word respect, to avoid conflict or misunderstandings, is imperative to understanding Waitaha books and messages. The communication must be understood in context. As with respect, clear intent in communication is important in the Waitaha culture. Efforts will always be made to follow the course of action that is aligned with the best, or good outcome for all. To do otherwise is not Waitaha practice, and will inevitably lead to conflict, disturbance, and ultimately, lack of peace. Many Westernised cultures have already recognised the need to include the aligned respect and clear understanding of intent to avoid conflict. Symbols, art and stories are important parts of the Waitaha culture for many reasons. Similar communication tools are being used worldwide as a means to convey information and concepts outside of oral language. The ability to clearly communicate intent in this way, by representing ideas through symbols, art and stories, provides revelation and understanding, the likes of which have been long sought after in the West. It is helpful to share what it is that gives clarity to cancellation agreements (to use the phrase as it is applied in the West). Without clear communication as to intent, such a document (agreement) is not something that I would sign. Agreement means to be of one mind; the concurrence of opinion. To agree also means to be in concord, consent, to be together, to be in good health or working order; it implies harmony and accordance in all situations (online etymology). To enter into an agreement means that one has become one mind with others towards the matter which was agreed upon. There should be consensus of opinion as to the agreed matter. It is an obligation of intent, and essentially, behavior and actions must align with what the agreement states. In order to cancel an agreement (which may be reflected in a contract, and for the purposes of this post, a letter) one must clearly express the intention to disagree with illustrated, or reflected intent. If uncertainty, lack of clarity, or ambiguity prevails, then how can the parties be sure that the cancellation has been undertaken? An understanding of the other party, what they want to achieve, why they have acted the way they have, what their plan is, their goals, etc., is invaluable when addressing the cancellation of an agreement. As previously mentioned, cultural training has been required for many to understand the Waitaha culture. Without this understanding, there may be conflict that could have been easily avoided through respect and recognition of intent. It is similar with regard to cancellation efforts. Many adults in the West have seen children upset, angry and/or saddened by another person’s actions. Children are very good at sensing intent and reacting accordingly. Sometimes it is even the case that children in fact go along with the hurtful behaviour of the other, in order to gain the attention and/or approval of the other. Just as it is expected that a child consider the feelings of another person in their actions, it is also expected that adults consider the importance of harmony and respect for those around them in their actions. This leads to peace. In the case of cancelling an agreement, if one person believes that the other’s action was intended to cause harm, then that person (A) may cancel an agreement, believing that the agreement was of a nature that will promote more harm. When A cancels the agreement, he intends to withdraw from the situation and avoid potential future conflict with the other person. When B hears that A has cancelled the agreement, he cannot then achieve resolution with A, because A is not communicating and has cancelled the agreement. However, if A had raised the issue with B, then B may have decided to reconsider his position. Or perhaps, it was just a misunderstanding and can be cleared up. The point in this is that many people do not actually want to hurt another, nor do they expect to be considered disrespectful in their actions. In other words, without clear communication, including that there is a desire for harmony, it is difficult to see how others can be expected to work together. Overall, each person and their environment, and what they bring to the group based on their various life experiences, are all important in order to demonstrate respect for the group through mindfulness. This recognition of each person’s perspective can influence the words and actions of all parties. In the case of cancelling an agreement, it is important to be clear and to express the desire for peace. While the concern of a poisonous fruit tree is not really relevant to a communication context in the West, it is taught in the Waitaha context, that instead of harming or getting rid of the potentially poisonous fruit tree, one can simply acknowledge that this fruit tree does not fit into the plans of the new planting, and simply let it go (by not watering it). To use the teachings of the poisonous fruit tree analogy in the context of this discussion, what is being portrayed here is that when trying to cancel an agreement, some people want to continue watering the fruit tree and watch it grow, while others quite simply wish to move on, without any further attention to the matter. Neither person is wrong – it is simply the method of approaching this cancellation that differs for each. There may also be conditions, or elements of the situation, which are important to continue with, and this may factor into the cancellation of agreement. Similar to the story about A and B cancelling an agreement, a person may seek to cancel an agreement but in actual fact, it is not actually what they want, no matter how much it is believed to be indicative of the greater good. From the Waitaha perspective, to cancel an agreement is not a course of actions that is at the top of the agenda, but instead it is acknowledged that cancelling an agreement or arrangement can also offer liberation and freedom, as well as respect for individuals and their cultural practices and ideals. In the case of cancelling an agreement (and sending a letter), there are standard elements that are more common in Western culture. While these do not seem to be controversial, they are often ignored or overlooked by some. These include a salutation, date, and address of those involved (including sub-entities that the parties are associated with, if necessary). These will vary depending on the parties involved and the situation, but it is appropriate and respectful to include basic details about those involved. It shows that some consideration has been given to the situation. Typically, agreement cancellation letters will include a reference to the provisions which the cancelling party seeks to cancel, as well as the reasons for that cancellation. The message about benevolence, respect, peace, and harmony, which emanates from this book, is that everyone, regardless of culture or background, should be respectful and considerate in all actions, so that the peace can remain.