Dream catchers, you have probably seen them sold in many different places such as gift shops and on the Internet. But do you really know the true story behind the true, traditional Native American dream catcher? Well, here’s a little background. It goes back to the ancient world of the Ojibwe Nation, (also known as the Chippewa), at a time when all the clans were located near the Great Lakes region of Turtle Island, which was their reference to North America. The traditional story, which is part of Ojibwe spirituality, is that Asibikaashi (Spider Woman) took great and loving care of her people and helped to bring sun to the people. Each day at dawn she would build a lodge of woven strands and still does so to this day. The strands of her web and the dew gathered upon them captures the light of the rising sun, creating a new miracle each day.
When the people of the Ojibwe Nation dispersed to areas throughout North America, in order to fulfill a prophecy, Asibikaashi had a hard time making her journey to the cradle boards of all her children, so the Ojibwe women began to weave their own magical webs out of willow and sinew. They were made in the shape of a circle to represent the sun’s travels each day across the sky. Thus the dream catcher came into being. When a person is asleep, a dream catcher is meant to filter out any bad dreams and only let good thoughts enter the mind.
During the time of the 1960’s and 1970’s traditional Ojibwe dream catchers began to become popular among many other Native American tribes and today you will find them made of much sturdier material than of times past. Dream catchers for children are made of willow and sinew and are not meant to last for very long, as they are meant to symbolize the fleeting nature of youth. A feather is traditionally placed in the center to represent breath or air. Adult dream catchers are made of sturdier woven fibers and do not include any feathers. Sadly, many of the dream catchers that you may find sold in a variety of places are not made by Native people and have little to no resemblance to the Native American craft that it’s meant to represent. When shopping for a dream catcher it’s best to look for a reputable business that deals with authentic dream catchers made by actual Native American artisans. They can also typically be found at most Native American pow wows and festivals.
