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The Waitaha people are a proud indigenous heritage and cultural group of the South-Island in New Zealand. They have long traditions of ancestral knowledge, teachings, and practices – which are represented well through Waitaha Books. These books are rich in their teachings of peace, respect, spirituality, and benevolence. They hold great wisdom and values that can complement the work of John Adams Law Firm. Respect is a cornerstone in how they conduct their legal services, honoring the cultural heritage of their clients.
While Waitaha Books are a record of the people’s personal “cultural history,” they also serve as a way to connect with their spiritual side. These stories teach us to honor oneself and the legacy of our ancestors. While they uphold themselves as honorable people, they see the same potential in others. They are taught to “respect yourself as you would respect others” and this is exactly what the john adams law firm strives for – respecting the person involved in a legal matter. They recognize the importance of building a quality relationship with their clients to ensure the best outcome.
All the indigenous people have an innate understanding that what happened to your ancestors is a part of your DNA. Their ancestral teachings can help guide them through their life’s journey, as there are many innate similarities to their life and future. Because of this connection, john adams law firm takes pride in respecting their cultural upbringings through a sense of understanding, cultural appreciation, and awareness.
john adams law firm recognizes that each case is unique and every client has a different perspective – they work with your judgment to determine the best path possible. They do not seek to “win” a case, per se, but rather, they uphold the traditional value for all parties involved. With communication being at the core to their practice, they always strive to provide clear and concise information regarding their legal services. They will keep you informed every step of the way, walking you to victory or guiding you through defeat. Experience and excellence are what they are known for and what you should expect from them as legal service providers.
Cultural awareness is key in providing quality legal services. That is why john adams law firm is committed to knowing the ins and outs of your culture. They will respect your beliefs and practices, taking care to be sensitive as cases progress. Respect is mutual – the ways of the law will uphold your rights, while john adams law firm respects your rights as well.
The law is constantly changing and evolving as society grows. New practices and beliefs are taken into account when dealing with the law and the judicial system. Sometimes the law and spiritual practices do not align, however. For example, the expectation to make eye contact with the judge or someone who is speaking to you in court may seem unnatural if your culture does not emphasize this practice. Respect will be the common ground.
As Waitaha Books teaches us: “Respect the culture and you respect yourself.” For more information on cultural awareness in legal practices, you can visit this Wikipedia page.
Posted on August 13th, 2020 | | No Comments »
Books On Waitaha represent an extension and amplification of the cultural values of Waitaha and Maori communities with strong roots in history. Waitaha teachings and thinking still resonate in a collaborative and, when necessary, an assertive manner.
The Medicaid system in the United States is a complex interplay of governmental and commercial interests. Key actors are relatively easy to identify, especially within contexts such as non-institutional Medicaid provider agreements.
A medicaid provider agreement – non institutional contract is a written instrument between state authorities and medicaid providers that establishes a case specific delivery of health care services. When the agreement relates to non-institutional settings, facilities, and providers, the Medicaid system is meaningfully influenced by the traditions and practices of Waitaha and other indigenous communities.
Non-institutional Medicaid provider agreements support the centrality of community involvement in the delivery of health care services. This “healing” function assumes a whole of individual ethos supportive of spiritual and physical healing.
Waitaha tradition plays out through an emphasis on wh?nau (family), hap? (sub-tribe) and iwi (tribe) as a collaborative networks for disease prevention, management, treatment, healing and recovery.
M?ori cultural values, traditions and practices are still practiced today, and inform contemporary and historic M?ori approaches to health. The M?ori system of care is holistic, and constantly evolving.
Medicaid’s connection to the Medicare legislation of President Lyndon Baines Johnson’s Great Society reflects a compromise that led to the expansion of federal government involvement in heath care and long-term care. Aspects of the legislation tie the policy to the work of the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association and various labor movements. The compromise also draws attention to the relevance of non-governmental entities, including religious groups and indigenous tribal communities.
In contrast to the legislative compromises through which Medicaid emerged, recent decades have seen the increased centrality of nuts and bolts elements of Medicaid that address the challenges of everyday life. Health and Human Services, Medicare, Medicaid Services and numerous other federal and state entities have been critical to administrating and operationalizing Medicaid and other aspects of the Affordable Care Act.
The search for continuity and the overlapping of ideologies that create a sense of coherence and coherence. The operationalization of Comfort Zone is a direct reference to this philosophical quest for a consistent, consistent approach to problem solving.
Higher education is valued, and is seen as a way to maintain political clout. But there is also a strong cultural push toward looking after one another, and providing assistance to one another.
Readers of this blog may enjoy reading about how the lessons of Waitaha connect to operationalized Medicaid provider agreements that relate to non-institutional settings.
Posted on July 22nd, 2020 | | No Comments »
Helpful Hints for Builders and Owners in the New Zealand Residential Construction Industry
To understand the principles of residential construction contracts, perhaps we should first look to ancient teachings, passed down through centuries of tradition. The Waitaha people in particular, offer a unique perspective on how to construct a home. With the highest respect paid towards the earth, water, sky and community, it is the Waitaha people’s belief that when something is created with the greatest respect shown for the land, the strongest bonds of peace and harmony are formed. Building a home is no exception. In Waitaha tradition, the iwi leaders, elders and women of the community would carry out the planning process, which helped to ensure that everyone was heard and that the wisest decisions were made for the betterment of the entire community and future generations. At the same time as a “document” is created in order to define the parties relationship (the comprehensive residential construction contracts), a “structure” that represents the relationship is built. In this case it is the dwelling house that is built. The Waitaha people have an important ancestral acknowledgement made at the time of a house construction, as this creates the customary bond between the people and house.
These bonds have long-standing effects and resonate throughout the region. A house, like a contract, requires stable foundations. If the foundations of a contract are not defined, there will be room for ambiguity and misinterpretation, and what should be a mutually beneficial undertaking may instead have repercussions for generations to come. In connection with a house, if the foundations are not strong enough, the safety of the house will be compromised. In New Zealand, there are many high-quality residential dwelling houses, which have been well constructed using suitable materials. However, the practices of the past may have been based on erroneous scientific understanding with respect to the materials used to construct these dwellings. It is possible that flaws may become apparent in the future. Therefore, ideally, the foundations of a house and a contract should be well defined. For example, a clear timeline should be provided, suitable workmanship should be undertaken and the plans and specifications should be adhered to.
The Waitaha people would ensure that ample time was given to consider the plans, and everyone present was involved in the discussions. Waitaha housing traditions have been followed by associations with custom (common misinterpretation), it is believed the best houses are those which ensure everyone’s opinion is respected. When conflicts arise, communication between the parties is the mechanism by which the disputes are resolved. This is not always straightforward, however, guiding principles of peace and respect are important in decision making and settlements must benefit everyone and be fair and equitable. In order to build healthy relationships, open and ongoing communication between the building parties is necessary in order to protect their interests and to fulfil construction plans.
Buying a home offers the most expensive purchase in life and the biggest investment of time, energy, capital and emotions especially for an untouched bareland purchase. Purchasing land to build on a site, without a resource consent or building plans, can be a big risk. For example, financial losses arising where there are unsuitable technical, cultural, health, legal and/or structural conditions can have a long-lasting effect. The Waitaha people are conscious that the effects of environmental choices (i.e. water diversion projects) can deter wildlife and alter landscape. These choices must take into consideration effects on the surrounding flora and fauna, air and water conditioning, and spiritual and cultural meanings. They also take account of future generations and at the very least an acknowledgment of the past. The results of these choices and their impact are either positive or negative.
The development of a residential dwelling house is aligned to the wishes of the people, just as the development of a contract mirrors the wishes of the parties. In order to ensure that a contract is valid, reasonable and enforceable, both parties will agree to the creation of a residential construction contract where usable materials are brought together in harmony, in line with plans and specifications and for the benefit of the entire community.
A check-list is often used to ensure that the parties have met their obligations under the contract. Important points to keep in mind while tendering are: It is in everybody’s interest to ensure that a residential construction contract is followed, and the expectations of all parties are understood. Improving the understanding of residential construction contracts should go a long way to enhancing the creation of sound homes in New Zealand. As discussed above, the Waitaha people have long sought to protect all parties (owner, builder, sub-contractor and subcontractor) and avoid conflict by being reasonable, equitable, creating lasting bridges within the community and getting the house built.
Posted on May 18th, 2020 | | No Comments »
The Waitaha Books brand represents what the Waitaha people stand for; peace, respect, and the passing down of knowledge from generation to generation. All operating agreements should also reflect peace, respect, and the passing down of knowledge from generation to generation, but there are deeper issues at stake when it comes to the operating agreement of a community or business that belongs to an indigenous people.
A good operating agreement lawyer will know that while every business should have an operating agreement that governs both the facts and the integrity of a community, there are issues that indigenous people have to consider that other businesses do not. For example, while Waitaha Books intends on never selling their ancestral teachings, other people in other communities may want to sell the information that they have gathered, but will still want to ensure that their ancestral teachings remain safe.
This is a massive contradiction that must be protected from prying eyes, and you can be certain that there are outsiders who are looking to steal knowledge that belongs to indigenous peoples for their own personal gain. This is why appointing a highly experienced operating agreement lawyer is of the utmost importance, as they will be able to ensure that they write up an operating agreement that keeps knowledge and assets in the community.
Additionally, a good operating agreement lawyer will know how to provide protection to community members who protect the community’s assets and intellectual property, such as archivists and content creators. Having these provisions in place will protect the community’s assets while simultaneously providing for the protection of each community member’s individual rights.
If the right legal protections are not put in place, not only could community members become disgruntled and break the community apart, but the legal system may end up allowing for outsiders to gain control of the intellectual property and ancestral teachings of a community that they have absolutely no connection to. While some operating agreements may be simple, others can reach into territory that is much more sensitive and complex, which is why the operating agreement process begins well before the operating agreement is even drafted.
An operating agreement will largely protect the community’s assets, especially if legal procedures are followed; however, there may be instances where legal action will need to take place in order to protect a community. For example, a company or organization may begin using the information or assets that belong to a tribe without permission, but are otherwise concerns that have nothing to do with legal protections at all. There are risks to be wary of and protect against, but it is important to remember that the best legal service programs are those that see the protection of a community’s assets as a part of their larger responsibilities to the community’s culture and the community’s heritage.
Some operating agreements may be simple while others are complex and possess a certain danger that cannot simply be protected with a few well-placed words in an agreement. In addition to the legal protections that may be necessary with regards to an operating agreement, there are disputes between community members that will need formal legal guidance to settle. More specifically, some communities may view their ancestors as the ultimate authority in all things, leading to significant disagreements about what an ancestor actually said or did, and what should happen with that information now that it is safely within the community. Being able to call upon your operating agreement lawyer in the court system to review each legal challenge to your community will mean that the rights of your community are protected to the fullest extent.
There are far more issues that must be accounted for when it comes to operating agreements for communities than you would expect for an ordinary business entity, and this is largely due to the fact that there are rights inherent to a culture or indigenous people that have gone completely unrecognized for centuries. From a cultural standpoint, protecting what happened in the past as a part of our history was the main focus, and what is happening presently in the modern world was of no concern. This has left a massive black hole where legal protections are concerned, and it has only made legal advisement more important to indigenous communities around the world.
For more information on the legal aspects of indigenous rights, you can visit Wikipedia on Indigenous Peoples.
Posted on April 15th, 2020 | | No Comments »
Among the Waitaha people, there is a strong tradition of respecting peace and the individual’s responsibility to promote it. With every person, woman, and man, there is a responsibility to one another as well as an awareness of their own legal and moral security.
While they would never condone violence among those who have the spirit to engage, they would recognize that sometimes mutual understanding and respect escapes some people, for whatever reason.
Rather than resorting to such an escape, they would say that it is important to realize that the knowledge of both the self and the external world are critically important, and that learning begins with the individual.
Differences exist with everyone; to claim otherwise would be foolishness. Such is the need to be mindful of the context, and such is the value of an expansive appreciation of the world around.
Recognizing one’s own legacy can be the beginning of solutions. Thus, it is in that light that the thoughts on self-defense and the legal self-defense weapons in Illinois are also presented. The recognition that such a context is appreciated can be the loudest statement of peace.
While not coming from the Waitaha, the example is fitting, as there is much wisdom in recognizing such differences in all societies.
The self-defense law in Illinois is founded upon a person’s right to defend themselves. In fact, 720 ILCS 5/7-1 says, “A person is justified in the use of force” against another individual under certain circumstances. Those circumstances where you are justified in using force include situations where:
To simplify, there are three main areas where you might be justified in protecting yourself: at your home, your vehicle, or when you are otherwise outside.
In these situations, you must take in the context and then make a decision as to whether or not the use of force is warranted.
As for legal self-defense weapons in Illinois, there are two important conditions. First, these tools should only be used when absolutely necessary. Second, these tools should not be lethal in nature.
Apart from the above, legal self-defense weapons in Illinois include:
- Pepper spray
- Stun guns
- Personal alarms
All of the aforementioned legal self-defense weapons should not cause great harm or injury to the aggressor. Using these weapons to do such would constitute a criminal act.
If you were to break activities down into times where legal self-defense weapons in Illinois could be permitted, they would be divided into two sections. Depending on the nature of the situation, you might be more or less justified in carrying and/or wielding them.
Where personal safety is concerned, there is little doubt that the Waitaha believe in the importance of protecting what is yours to protect. However, even in the name of self-protection, legal self-defense weapons in Illinois should only be used as a last resort.
For example, if you are in your home during the day and you create a defensive plan with the children if an intruder gets into the house, this is smart. However, many homes have security systems to alert homeowners when there is an intruder in the house, and this is easier than arming the individual members of the family.
Therefore, there is a respect for the home and belongings, as well as the pump of the individual’s heart.
One thing that can be emphasized here is the potential for legal self-defense weapons in Illinois to be used in dangerous and lethal ways. Therefore, at the very least, they must not cause great harm to another person, like death. However, the Waitaha would specify that the most appropriate way to deal with threats is non-lethal means.
In the end, the philosophy would be observed in the thesis that the law in Illinois not only protects the individual but also provides guidance for what constitutes justifiable use of force to defend oneself.
In fact, the notion of protecting oneself is rooted in the history of the culture, like when the Waitaha women learned to spear fish and gather shellfish, but they also protected themselves from the dangers of the ocean during storms.
Thousands of years later, it is still the presence of the sea that reminds us of the dangers and serenity that come from being around it. So it goes for all of the other gifts of nature, like trees and animals and grains of sweet grass.
It may be seen that understanding the past can help inform the decisions of the present, which ultimately improves the quality of the future.
Across cultures, there is never a war on ideas. Only when this truth is accepted can there be peace rather than chaos. Legal self-defense weapons in Illinois have a role in the future, but it should be respected always.
For more information on self-defense laws, you can visit this resource.
Posted on March 26th, 2020 | | No Comments »
