House of chiefs
Encyclopedia
A House of chiefs is a post-colonial assembly, either legislative or advisory
, that is recognised by either a national or regional government as consisting of and providing a collective, public voice for an ethnic group
's pre-colonial
authorities. Although often influential within the indigenous
culture, its members do not usually function as a modern nation's primary law-making body (cf. British House of Lords), being neither representative (i.e. democratically elected) nor consisting of members appointed individually by the government in power, whether democratic or not. It consists of all or some of the "traditional leaders", historically known in English as chief
s, of a country or a sub-division
thereof.
A House of Chiefs is not, constitutionally, a partisan
institution within the body politic. Members of a House of Chiefs are selected neither by a universal suffrage
process of those they represent nor by the state executive or legislature they advise: Their function is to express a cultural, historical and/or ethnic point of view on public policies. The process by which individuals qualify for membership varies, but is based on tradition specific to his or her (e.g. the Rain Queen
) historic community or ethnic group. Sometimes the qualifying position is obtained through heredity within a local dynasty
, sometimes through selection by consensus of a ritually
or socially prominent subset of a community, and sometimes by a combination thereof.
Historically, chiefs were the last indigenous rulers before colonisation of a people, and their modern versions often continue to play a local cultural role of varying significance. Especially in colonial times, chiefs were often used as instruments of indirect rule, and/or convenient alternatives to elective institutions.
This is the case in the unicameral republic of Zimbabwe
which includes 10 Chiefs, alongside various presidential appointees and 120 elected members in the House of Assembly under the current constitution).
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
, that is recognised by either a national or regional government as consisting of and providing a collective, public voice for an ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
's pre-colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
authorities. Although often influential within the indigenous
Indigenous
Indigenous means: belonging to a certain place.Indigenous may refer to:In Ecology and Geography*Indigenous resources, resources which exist within local geography, that are not imported...
culture, its members do not usually function as a modern nation's primary law-making body (cf. British House of Lords), being neither representative (i.e. democratically elected) nor consisting of members appointed individually by the government in power, whether democratic or not. It consists of all or some of the "traditional leaders", historically known in English as chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
s, of a country or a sub-division
Administrative division
An administrative division, subnational entity, or country subdivision is a portion of a country or other political division, established for the purpose of government. Administrative divisions are each granted a certain degree of autonomy, and are required to manage themselves through their own...
thereof.
A House of Chiefs is not, constitutionally, a partisan
Partisan (political)
In politics, a partisan is a committed member of a political party. In multi-party systems, the term is widely understood to carry a negative connotation - referring to those who wholly support their party's policies and are perhaps even reluctant to acknowledge correctness on the part of their...
institution within the body politic. Members of a House of Chiefs are selected neither by a universal suffrage
Universal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
process of those they represent nor by the state executive or legislature they advise: Their function is to express a cultural, historical and/or ethnic point of view on public policies. The process by which individuals qualify for membership varies, but is based on tradition specific to his or her (e.g. the Rain Queen
Rain Queen
The Modjadji or Rain Queen is the hereditary queen of Balobedu, a people of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The succession to the position of Rain Queen is matrilineal, meaning that the Queen's eldest daughter is the heir, and that males are not entitled to inherit the throne at all...
) historic community or ethnic group. Sometimes the qualifying position is obtained through heredity within a local dynasty
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Historians traditionally consider many sovereign states' history within a framework of successive dynasties, e.g., China, Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire...
, sometimes through selection by consensus of a ritually
Ritual
A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers....
or socially prominent subset of a community, and sometimes by a combination thereof.
Historically, chiefs were the last indigenous rulers before colonisation of a people, and their modern versions often continue to play a local cultural role of varying significance. Especially in colonial times, chiefs were often used as instruments of indirect rule, and/or convenient alternatives to elective institutions.
Cases
In the post-colonial age, various Houses of Chiefs and similar assemblies have existed in various nations:Africa
- In BotswanaBotswanaBotswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
, the House of Chiefs of BotswanaHouse of Chiefs of BotswanaThe House of Chiefs of Botswana is an advisory body of the country's Parliament.-Composition:The House of Chiefs consists of 35 members. Eight members are hereditary chiefs from Botswana's principal tribes...
. - In GhanaGhanaGhana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
the National House of Chiefs, represents the various Regional Houses of Chiefs. http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/republic/constitution.php?id=Gconst22.html - In NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
there were several Houses of Chiefs and plans have been drawn up for a new House of Traditional Rulers in EdoEdo, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
state.- also formerly in (ex-German, British>Nigerian) Southern Cameroons (1958- ) http://lucy.ukc.ac.uk/Chilver/Paideuma/paideuma-Indirec-2.html
- In SomalilandSomalilandSomaliland is an unrecognised self-declared sovereign state that is internationally recognised as an autonomous region of Somalia. The government of Somaliland regards itself as the successor state to the British Somaliland protectorate, which was independent for a few days in 1960 as the State of...
the House of Elders' membership consists of the various Sultans of Somaliland. - In South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the colonial House of Chiefs fell into disuse, but indigenously-organised versions have revived post-Apartheid, first within the ruling ANC partyAfrican National CongressThe African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
, then in KwaZulu Natal. - In ZambiaZambiaZambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
(1996 constitution). http://www.thezambian.com/Constitution/1996partxiii.aspx
Pacific
- In the Polynesian island state of FijiHouse of Chiefs (Fiji)The term House of Chiefs is a collective term used to refer to the Fijian nobility, which consists of about seventy chiefs of various ranks. It is not a formal political body and should not be confused with the Great Council of Chiefs, which is a political body with a prescribed constitutional role...
- not to be confused with the Great Council of Chiefs (Fiji)Great Council of Chiefs (Fiji)The Great Council of Chiefs is a now dormant 1997 constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. In April 2007 the council was suspended, due to an unworkable relationship with Frank Bainimarama, leader of an "interim government" which came to power through a military coup in December 2006...
, or Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian. - In the former kingdom Hale o na Alii o Hawaii (House of Chiefs of Hawaii).
- In the Marshall IslandsMarshall IslandsThe Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
. - In the Republic of PalauPalauPalau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
. - In the Solomon IslandsSolomon IslandsSolomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
, the so-called Gela House of Chiefs or Gela Vaukolu. - In VanuatuVanuatuVanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
.
Other
The term has also been used for similar pre- and post-colonial assemblies of tribal leaders, as among certain American Indians.Alternatives
Another way to include traditional Chiefs in a nation's political life is to assign to them a number of seats in a wider assembly.This is the case in the unicameral republic of Zimbabwe
Politics of Zimbabwe
Politics of Zimbabwe takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential republic, whereby the President is the head of state and the Prime Minister is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government...
which includes 10 Chiefs, alongside various presidential appointees and 120 elected members in the House of Assembly under the current constitution).