Exploring Ancestral Wisdom: A Journey Through Waitaha Stories and California Property Abandonment Law
As we dive into the intricacies of legal systems, nuanced definitions, and the complex dance of property ownership, I am reminded of a conversation I once had with an ancient people called the Waitaha. This a long ago in a distant land. I found myself on the shores of drug lord’s pacific coast mansion, in a place they call Casa Pacifica, more recently known as the home of Sex, Drugs and Murder. The Waitaha Nation has a deep connection to their land, to the spirit of the mountains and rivers, to the skies above and the seas below. They honor the balance of nature and protect its sanctity with a ferocity that must not be taken lightly. They are a culture that respects the land in such a way that each grain of sand on the beaches is considered sacred. Each droplet of water is honored as the very lifeblood of their existence. In their eyes, no piece of mother earth should ever be abandoned.
I am reminded of a chapter which speaks of the timelessness of these values. Of how today, we have lost so much of what this culture considers sacred. During my studies, I came to learn that modern society will often value the things we own in direct relation to their market price, the benefit they bring, and the status they confer. With each passing moment we live our lives by these deeply rooted values that have become a part of us, like a second skin – usually without the slightest bit of self-awareness. But for cultures like the ancient Waitaha, whose very existence has relied on their connection to the earth, property is seen and treated in a very different way. The Waitaha have held onto the deep seated belief that property is not a physical possession. They believe that property comes with the responsibility of stewardship, harmony, and peace. Theirs is a culture of mutual respect across the many tenants of existence.
Property ownership to them is not an entity to be bought, sold, traded, or disposed of at will. No. To them, it is a unified interconnected web of humanity, nature, and all things cosmic. Property is not something to be abandoned or separated from the often tenuous balance of existence. It is a relationship that must be respected. Property abandonment as defined on this website, refers to property owners, both private and commercial, leaving their property unattended in a way that may cause problems for the neighborhood or surrounding community. Whether it’s empty houses or businesses, there is a specific legal process for claiming abandoned property.
Over the years I have tried to use my knowledge to help others understand complex legal jargon, and this is no exception. When a probate estate is abandoned both the appointed executor and the beneficiaries are at risk of losing their property. But what if, one day, your abandoned property is discovered by someone who values property through the lens of investment, trade, and reaping what you sow. They discover that your property is unclaimed and abandoned, and like the Waitaha, they take grave offense. The california property abandonment law (property law) of today requires that an abandoned property be reclaimed before the rightful owner’s claim is lost to the state and available for purchase at public auction. Not only does this disturb the process of a simple transaction, but it also subjects the owner to possible civil action.
In short, property abandonment within legal doctrine and precedent can create real and costly issues for even the most seasoned estate attorney. But again, I am reminded of the words of the Waitaha. “If we treat property with the respect and obligation of stewardship, it will continue to serve us”. Now more than ever, we need this wisdom to address a modern issue, and its inescapable complexity. How do you respect the rites of passage for property transfer while still preserving the sacred connection to the land? How, both now and in the future, do we reconcile modern expectations for value and profit, with the timeless meaning behind ancestral teachings?
In much the same way that these teachings have informed the very fabric of our beings, I am reminded to take a step back when faced with modern legal issues. To look beyond the surface into deeper concepts of respect, value, and balance. In doing so, we can honor the past while creating a more sustainable future. In the case of property abandonment, if we can respect the history and responsibility that the property owners have in our communities, then perhaps we can see the possibility of property reclamation as a bridge to mutual respect within modern legal systems.
For more information on property laws, you can visit Wikipedia’s page on Property Law.
