The dream catcher is most commonly associated with Native American culture. Originating from the Ojibwe people, who lived primarily in the northern USA and Canada, the dream catcher shares a story that bends the the seams between dreams and reality.
Dream Catchers are a spiritual tool used to help assure good dreams to those that sleep under them. A dream catcher is usually placed over a place you would sleep where the morning light can hit it. As you sleep all dreams from the spirit world have to pass through the dream catcher. Native American dreamcatchers are an element of southwest decor that is one of the most exciting and fun home decorating styles you will find. Native American dream catchers make it easy to decorate with an American Indian theme. The southwestern Indian tribes are still active in making handcrafted artifacts.
Nowadays often seen in souvenir and gift shops or hanging off a bedroom wall, these handcrafted trinkets typically consist of a round, woven net of various fiber or red willow, and adorned with feathers, leather, beads, or various other materials differentiating from tribe to tribe.
The resulting dream catcher, hung above the bed, is used as a charm to protect sleeping people, usually children, from nightmares. Dream interpretation has directly influenced Native American cultural and spiritual beliefs for centuries. Baby and Navy Blue Authentic Cherokee Dream Catcher - 2 Dangles. Baby and Navy Blue Tribal Authentic Cherokee Dream Catcher. Traditional Creative Decorative Dream Catcher Feather Dreamcatcher Description Description Native Americans the air is filled with both good and bad dreams. Dream catchers are hung in the tepee or lodge. A dreamcatcher changes a person's dreams. Nightmares pass through the holes and out of the window.
The Ojibwe Dream Catcher Legend
The Ojibwe word for a dream catcher is ‘asabikeshiinh’. This term is the inanimate word for ‘spider’. According to American ethnographer ‘Frances Densmore‘, the origin of the dream catcher lies in a folktale of the Asibikaashi. The Asibikaashi were believed to be a type of human and spider hybrid, who along with Wanabozhoo, brought the sun to the people of the land.
After this, they became caretakers of the children, the tribe, and the land. The story goes on to say that as the Ojibwe tribe began to occupy more territory it became more taxing for the Asibikaashi to tend to all the land. This led to the tribal women spinning web shaped ornaments out of willow, sinew or cord to give to children and infants as protective charms. It was thought that these charms would catch any evil, or bad dreams that might be in the air, similar to how a spider web catches whatever flies into it.
The Lakota Dream Catcher Legend
Long ago, when the world was young, an old Lakota spiritual leader was on a high mountain. On the mountain, he had a vision. In his vision, Iktomi – the great trickster and teacher of wisdom – appeared in the form of a spider.
Iktomi spoke to him in a sacred language. Only spiritual leaders of the Lakota could understand. As Iktomi spoke, he took the elder’s willow hoop – which had feathers, horse hair, beads and offerings on it – and began to spin a web.
He spoke to the elder about the cycles of life and how we begin our lives as infants. We then move on to childhood and in to adulthood. Finally, we go to old age where we must be taken care of as infants, thus, completing the cycle.
“But,” Iktomi said as he continued to spin his web, “in each time of life there are many forces – some good and some bad. If you listen to the good forces, they will steer you in the right direction. But, if you listen to the bad forces, they will hurt you and steer you in the wrong direction.”
He continued, “There are many forces and different directions that can help or interfere with the harmony of nature and also with the Great Spirit and all of his wonderful teachings.”
All while the spider spoke, he continued to weave his web … starting from the outside and working toward the center. When Iktomi finished speaking, he gave the Lakota elder the web and said, “See, the web is a perfect circle, but there is a hole in the center of the circle.”
“Use the web to help yourself and your people … to reach your goals and make use of your people’s ideas, dreams and visions. If you believe in the Great Spirit, the web will catch your good ideas, and the bad ones will go through the hole.” (Note: Some bands believe the bad ideas are caught in the web and the good ideas pass through to the individual. Either account is acceptable.)
The Lakota elder passed his vision on to his people. Now, the Sioux use the dream catchers as the web of their life. Traditionally, it is hung above their beds or in their homes to sift their dreams and visions. Good dreams are captured in the web of life and carried with them … but the evil dreams escape through the center’s hole and are no longer part of them. (Note: Some bands believe the bad ideas are caught in the web and the good ideas pass through to the individual. Either account is acceptable.)
Lakota believe the dreamcatcher holds the destiny of their future.
Dream Catchers |
| 1. Start with a 2 - 6 ft. length of fresh Red Willow (Red Osier Dogwood), or soaked Grapevine (dried grapevine is available in the craft department of many stores) Carefully bend the vine around to form a circle with a 3 - 8 in. diameter. You decide on the diameter, but traditionally dreamcatchers are no wider than adult's hand. 2. If you are using thin Red Willow or grapevines, twist the piece you are bending, around the circle you have made to strengthen the hoop. |
| 3. Use 4-16 ft. of strong but thin string (the length is determined by the diameter of the hoop). Knot a loop in one end from which you will hang your dream catcher when it is done. 4. Tie the hanging loop around the top of your dream catcher (or at the weakest point of your hoop). |
| 5. The dream catcher repeats the same stitch from start to finish. To start, hold the string and place it loosely over the top of the hoop. Move the string around to the back of the hoop (forming a hole) and pull the string back through the hole you just made. |
| 6. Pull each stitch taught but not too tight or it will warp the hoop of the dream catcher and it will not lie flat when it is done. |
| 7. Continue the same stitch for the first round around the hoop of the dream catcher. Space the stitches evenly, about 1 1/2 to 2 in. apart (making 7 to 13 stitches around the hoop). 8. The last stitch of the first round should be placed about a half inch away from the the hanging loop. |
Traditional Dream Catcher Indian
| STITCH FOR THE SECOND ROUND: 9. On the second and subsequent stitching rounds, place the string around the center of each stitch from the previous round (rather than around the hoop). 10. As you pull each stitch tight, the string from the previous round should bend towards the center of the hoop slightly, forming a diamond shape. You should see the spider web beginning to form. 11. On the third or fourth round add a bead to represent the spider in the web. Simply place the bead on your string and continue stitching as usual. |
| 12. Continue stitching towards the center of the hoop. Eventually, the stitches become so small that it is difficult to pass the string through. Make sure you leave a hole in the center of the dreamcatcher. 13. Stop stitching at the bottom of the hole in the center of the dream catcher. End by stitching twice in the same place, forming a knot, and pull tight. |
| 14. You should have 6 - 8 in. of string to tie 2 or 3 feathers which dangle from the center of the dreamcatcher. Tie on 2 or 3 feathers and knot. |
| 15. Wrap a 1 in. square of felt around the knot of string and over the base of the feathers. Tie two 4 In. pieces string around the wrapped felt. 16. Hang over sleeping place. Sweet Dreams!! |
Branches, Twigs & Roots Bibliography and Books to Buy On-Line
Where To Purchase Dream Catchers
| Text and Graphics © 1994 - Tara Prindle unless otherwise cited. |