Honoring the 7 Directions: An Indigenous Framework for Designing and Evaluating Systems Change

This video resource provides an overview of the Seven Directions Medicine Wheel (7DMW) Framework used in a project supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to enhance understanding of the interconnections between human and climate health and all life on Earth.
Niishaash Tuxuwak Eelohkweengal, in English the Seven Directions teachings of the Lunaape is the basis for a Seven Directions Medicine Wheel (7DMW) Framework that can be used to understand the world and inform the design and evaluation of systems change initiatives.
The project has been led by Nicole Bowman (Lunaape/Mohican), PhD, founder and director of Bowman Performance Consulting with support from Utilization-Focused Evaluation. This model is built from Seven Directions teachings received at Lunaape language camps and through Lunaape awareness and support for use of the Stockbridge-Munsee/Lunaape 7DMW model as part of a broader and intentional knowledge sharing strategy during Lunaape culture and language camp and activities since 2006. This continuous sharing is part of a traditional process to respect and to give care to what is shared outside of the community. This process keeps sacred what stays with the community and collectively determines what is appropriate to share and utilize publicly for supporting healthy relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholders. As the 7DMW model is applied to this RWJF project, it is fittingly named the Seven Directions Health Journey Framework (7DHJF). This video features a case example of the use of the 7 Directions for an environmental health project in Tempe, Arizona.
The model builds on Medicine Wheel teachings of the four cardinal directions (East, South, West, and North) and includes three additional directions -- Earthward, Skyward, and Inward -- that are integral to the work of connecting health, culture, and environment.