Seven Generations Principle: Healing the Past & Shaping the Future
This is adapted from an Unrooted podcast episode by Breanne Smith @breazieboozhoo
What if I told you that the choices we make today could shape the lives of those who come seven generations after us? And that we are the bridge between our ancestors’ resilience & our descendants’ future. In this episode, we explore how healing, accountability, & intentional action can redefine our legacy. This shift starts with us. Are you ready to be part of it?
Today, we’re discussing a truly profound topic - the Seven Generations Principle. You may have heard this thrown around in green marketing campaigns, but its roots go so much deeper than just selling eco-friendly products.
This powerful philosophy comes from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, also known as the Iroquois Confederacy or the League of Five Nations, which is recognized as one of the oldest participatory democracies on Earth.
And fun fact: The Great Law of Haudenosaunee Confederacy is also credited as being a contributing influence on the American Constitution.
The first written concepts of the Seven Generations principle can be traced back to the Great Law of Peace, with estimates placing its origin between 1142 and 1500 AD. That means that this isn't some fleeting trend - this is ancient wisdom with lasting relevance.
So What Is the Seven Generations Principle?
At its core, the Seven Generations Principle teaches that the decisions we make today should create a sustainable world for the seven generations that follow. As Oren Lyons, a Faithkeeper of the Onondaga Nation, explains, Haudenosaunee leaders are guided by the idea that when they sit in council, they must not think only of themselves, their families, or even their immediate communities. Instead, they must consider the well-being of those who will come after them.
And I know seven generations feels like a long time -but consider this. If you were able to meet your great-grandparents, which I remember doing as a child, & you are able to meet your great-grandchildren one day, that’s seven generations right there. Your great-grandparents, your grandparents, your parents, you, your children, your grandchildren, & your great-grandchildren. It doesn’t feel so distant when you realize that you could see seven generations in your lifetime. The actions you take today will impact seven generations to come. The healing, the changemaking, the growth, & the protection of our land & resources will all shape their world.
This perspective is deeply woven into Anishinaabe culture as well. As explained by Anton Treuer, the Anishinaabe word aanikobijigan refers to both great-grandparents & great-grandchildren, emphasizing the interconnectedness between past & future.
Our ancestors, even in times of hardship, made choices with the next seven generations in mind. They thought about sovereignty, and, clean water, culture, & language - not for their own immediate benefit, but to ensure that we, their descendants, would have a strong foundation to stand on. This understanding reinforces that we are not separate from our history or our future; we are a continuation of both.
The Seven Generations Principle reminds us of our deep connection to both our ancestors & future generations. It calls on us to honor those who came before us while recognizing our responsibility to those yet to come.
Looking back seven generations, we see a world shaped by colonization, upheaval, & trauma - experiences that deeply affected our ancestors. Their resilience & wisdom live on in us, shaping who we are today.
And today, we stand at a defining moment. We have the awareness, tools, & strength to heal the wounds of the past & shape a new future. Picture a world seven generations from now - one that looks back on this era as the turning point, when we chose to honor history, cultivate unity, & lay the groundwork for respect, equity, & sustainability.
This principle isn’t just about big political decisions - it’s a way of life, impacting every choice we make. This philosophy is deeply relevant in all areas of life, but I’m going to focus on some of the most crucial areas.
The first is 1. Land, Water & Sustainability
This is typically the first thing people often associate the Seven Generations Principle with. It asks us to consider how our use of natural resources, our water, our land, and our energy, will affect the world seven generations from now. Will they have clean water? Fertile land? A stable climate? This principle reminds us that we are just borrowing the Earth from future generations. Take a second to let that sink in. We are really just borrowing the Earth from our future generations.
2. Relationships & Community
And The Seven Generations Principle isn’t just about the environment - it extends to our relationships and the ways in which we treat each other. Imagine if every interaction, every decision we made in our personal lives and communities, was guided by the question: Will this contribute to strong, healthy relationships for generations to come? It challenges us to think beyond the immediate moment and build a legacy of respect, care, and unity.
3. Healing Work & Breaking Cycles
This principle is also an incredible tool for personal and collective healing. Generational trauma is real, and harmful patterns can be passed down if they are left unaddressed. The Indigenous People of New Zealand, the Maori, also have similar concepts to the seventh generation principle. As Maori artist Tāwera Tahuri puts it, "It serves not only as a reminder of the wrongs of the past but also the hopes and aspirations of the future seven generations." By actively working to heal now, both as an individual and healing as a collective, we’re ensuring that those who come after us inherit a healthier, healed, and more just world.
4. Preserving Cultural Practices & Languages
For Indigenous communities, keeping cultural traditions, languages, and ceremonies alive is a crucial part of ensuring that future generations can remain connected to their heritage. As G. Peter Jemison, a Faithkeeper of the Cattaraugus Reservation Seneca Nation, explains: "Everything we have now is the result of our ancestors who handed forth to us our language, the preservation of the land, our way of life, and our songs and dances. So now we will maintain those and carry them on for future generations."
Indigenous Wisdom & Scientific Validation
And interestingly enough, modern science is actually catching up with this ancient wisdom. Research in epigenetics has shown that environmental exposures - like toxins, stress, or even diet - can have effects passed down for multiple generations. Some studies show impacts extending four or even five generations in animals. While science is still uncovering the full extent of these intergenerational effects, it reinforces what Indigenous communities have known for centuries: our actions today shape the future in ways we may not yet fully understand.
Bringing This Principle Into Our Daily Lives
Now that we understand the Seven Generations Principle, how do we bring it into our everyday choices? How do we embody this wisdom in a way that creates lasting change? I have five ways you can start today:
Pause & Reflect: Before making decisions, big or small, take a moment to ask yourself: What impact could this have seven generations from now? When we live with this awareness, our choices become more intentional, rooted in responsibility & care.
Sustainable Living: The earth is not just ours; it belongs to those who come after us. Be mindful of your consumption, energy use, & environmental impact. Choose sustainability not just as an action, but as a way of honoring future generations.
Community Engagement: Change isn’t just personal; it’s collective. Support policies, movements, & initiatives that prioritize long-term sustainability, equity, & social well-being. Every action we take ripples outward.
Personal Growth & Healing: The cycles we choose to break today create new possibilities for those who come after us. Healing our personal wounds, addressing ancestral trauma, & doing the work to grow stronger aren’t just acts of self-care - they are acts of intergenerational transformation. We are the bridge between the pain of our ancestors & the power of our descendants.
Cultural Preservation: Our traditions, languages, & stories carry the wisdom of those who came before us. Keep them alive. Share them. Teach them. Our culture is a gift, not just for us, but for those who will inherit it.
Each of us holds the power to be the shift. Every choice, every moment, every action is an opportunity to build a future that honors the past & strengthens what’s to come. Let’s make it count.
Because on the flip side, ignoring our impact means repeating cycles of harm - perpetuating environmental destruction, deepening systemic injustices, & passing down unhealed trauma. If we choose inaction, future generations will inherit the consequences of our neglect, forced to bear the weight of problems we refused to address.
This isn’t about guilt or feeling overwhelmed - it’s about empowerment. Recognizing our role as caretakers of the future gives us agency to shape a better world. As Rick Hill Sr. of the Tuscarora Nation beautifully stated, "We inherit a duty, a responsibility, to work hard so that the future can enjoy the benefits of a healthy planet and a thriving society."
We stand at a pivotal moment. We have the awareness, tools, and power to heal the wounds of the past and redefine the future. Imagine a world seven generations from now - one that looks back on our time as the turning point when we chose to acknowledge history, foster unity, and build a foundation of respect, equality, and sustainability.
We are the change. The responsibility and opportunity are in our hands. With gratitude for our ancestors and hope for future generations, we have the power to create a legacy of healing and transformation.
So, let’s choose to make decisions today that will echo positively through the next seven generations and beyond. It’s a profound way to honor the past, live with purpose in the present, and build a brighter future for those to come.
RESOURCES:
https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/seventh-generation-principle
https://theseventhgeneration.org/maori-tour/
https://theseventhgeneration.org/aotearoa-nz-histories/
https://theseventhgeneration.org/wildside-project/ https://theseventhgeneration.org/blog-the-seventh-generation-principle/
https://www.haudenosauneeconfederacy.com/values/
https://www.pbs.org/warrior/content/timeline/opendoor/roleOfChief.html
https://www.nrdc.org/bio/jennifer-sass/scientific-evidence-support-seven-generations-future-thinking-our-toxic-chemical
