The Seven Generations Lakota Principle

The Lakota Oyate hold a teaching both profound and practical: the Seven Generations Principle. It reminds us that we stand as a bridge between the seven generations that came before us and the seven generations yet to come. Sicangu elder, historian, and professor Victor Douville explains that this principle is deeply aligned with the cycles of Unci Maka (Grandmother Earth), with Lakota star knowledge, and with the sacred ways that guide Lakota society.

The Measure of a Generation

According to Douville, one generation equals 72 years, mirroring the “wobble” of Unci Maka’s axis. To live 72 years is to complete a full circle of life in harmony with the Earth.

When multiplied by seven, this becomes 504 years — the timespan we are called to consider when thinking of the impact of our choices. Seven generations behind us gave us the world we inhabit, and seven generations ahead will inherit the world we leave.

The Four Life Cycles

Within the 72-year span of a generation are four life cycles, each lasting about 18 years:

1. Infancy and Childhood (0–18 years) – A stage of learning, receiving, and growing under the care of tiwahe (family) and tiospaye (community).

2. Youth and Adulthood (19–36 years) – A time of strength, vitality, and responsibility, when seeds are planted for family and community.

3. Maturity and Elderhood (37–54 years) – A stage of leadership and mentorship, when wisdom is applied to guide younger generations.

4. Wisdom and Completion (55–72 years) – The sacred elder years, when one completes the circle of life and passes on memory and teachingThe Lakota Social System 5 (2).

These cycles correspond to the phases of the buffalo — from calf to maturity to old age — linking human life directly to the rhythms of nature.

The Sacred Number Seven in Earth and Sky

The Lakota recognize seven as a sacred number: the union of three (spiritual) and four (earthly). It structures the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires) and reflects the organization of clans and extended families.

The stars also carry this teaching. In Lakota astronomy:

• The Big Dipper is tied to the origins of the Oceti Sakowin. The seven stars represent the seven clans, with the bowl as the stretcher carrying the body of a fallen leader, guided home by his people.

• Every spring, when the Big Dipper turns upside down, it aligns with the rise of Cansasa Ipusye (Dried Willow/Aries), marking a sacred cycle recognized for thousands of years.

• The White Buffalo Calf Woman brought the pipe and ceremonies to unify the people, appearing in cycles of seven generations to restore balance in times of crisis.

Thus, the cosmos itself reflects and confirms the principle of Seven Generations, reminding the Oyate that human destiny is bound to the stars.

Wolakota: Living in Harmony

At the heart of the Seven Generations teaching is Wolakota — peace, balance, and respectful relationship with all beings. The pipe, the star knowledge, and the kinship systems all guide the people in practicing Wolakota so that choices are made not for short-term gain, but for the health of future generations.

Living for the Unborn

The teaching of Seven Generations is a call to responsibility:

• To protect Unci Maka, the waters, and the stars that guide us.

• To strengthen tiospaye, ensuring family and kinship bonds endure.

• To remember that every decision echoes across 504 years, shaping the lives of the unborn.

✨ Mitakuye Oyasin — We Are All Related.

By aligning with the Earth’s rhythms, honoring the stars, and practicing Wolakota, we live not just for ourselves but for the vast web of life that stretches seven generations behind and seven generations ahead. This is the Lakota way of thinking across centuries, guided by Earth and sky.