'Structure of the Tribe'

Text selected from

'A study of peoples far and wide'

by Ulminster Oxbridge

THE STRUCTURE OF THE TRIBE

The Tribal Voice (cont)

When individual members of the Boar come together and form a new group then they must first choose a Voice. The smallest group I discovered only had three members, but while the three were together one was chosen to be the Voice and was given all due respect and responsibility as if there had been three hundred members.

I have seen several ways that a new group chooses its first Voice, these are listed below;

The most common way would be for all to stand in a circle, a talking stick would be spun around and whoever the stick points too would be the first voice.

The person who's family and relatives could be traced back the furthest could be chosen.

If a person were the only Sheman in a group they may be chosen.

In one particular group this honour was decided by a drinking competition, the last still standing was selected as the Voice. (When further questioned on the merits of such a system it was explained to me that many negotiations are made at the ale table so it would be wise to choose one who could tolerate large quantities of alcohol.)