Did you know?
While the Swedish generally get the credit for having the first parliamentary ombudsman, there are other cultures and traditions where an ombudsman-like role was common, In first nations communities in North America, for example, disputes would often be resolved by an elder - someone who knew the people and could make decisions that would be far on an individual level. Other examples - each with their own name for the function or the person who performed it - Include: Muslims - (the Mohtasib), China (the Censorate), and in many islands throughout the South Pacific elders practice an ancient reconciliation and forgiveness method called Ho'oponopono.