Global aviation crisis exposes systemic gaps in emergency protocols: Why heroism alone cannot replace structural safety reforms

Indigenous frameworks like the Māori *whakapapa*-based decision-making or the Inuit *qaggiq* (community crisis councils) demonstrate that emergency responses are most effective when rooted in collective knowledge and adaptive traditions. These systems prioritize preparedness over heroism, with protocols passed down through generations to handle unforeseen challenges. The absence of such perspectives in aviation safety discussions reflects a broader erasure of non-Western crisis-management wisdom, which could offer models for decentralized, resilient systems. For example, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) *Great Law of Peace* includes mechanisms for consensus-building under pressure—principles that could inform crew training to reduce hierarchical rigidities during emergencies.