We all love dreamcatchers. Do you know the significance of a dreamcatcher, though?
Those beautifully decorated handmade pieces of art are more than mere home décor pieces. Dreamcatchers have historical and spiritual meanings that are deeply rooted in the Native American civilizations.
Discover the origins and learn to honor them.
Native American cultures believe that both good and bad dreams fill the air at night. The dreamcatcher moves freely in the night air and catches the dreams as they drift by, guarding people from nightmares and bad dreams.
A handmade charm, usually hung above the cradles or beds of young children, the traditional dreamcatcher is made of willow. They are not meant to last forever, but are rather intended to dry out and collapse as the child enters the age of adulthood.
There are several variants of the legend; however, he underlying meaning and symbolism is universal and is carried across cultures and language barriers.
A symbol of unity among the various Native American Indian nations.
While dream-catchers originated in the Ojibwa Nation, they were adopted by Native Americans of a number of different nations all over the world.
Ojibwe (Chippewa) Legend of Asibikaashi (Spider Woman)
For days, a grandmother patiently watched a spider spun his web above her sleeping place. One day her grandson noticed the spider and tried to kill it.
“Don’t hurt him,” she told the boy in a soft tone, surprising him.
“But grandmother, you should not protect this spider.”
When the grandson left, the spider thanked the woman for her protection and offered her a gift.
“I will spin you a web that hangs between you and the moon so that when you dream, it will snare the bad thoughts and keep them from you.”
The Ojibwa believe that only good dreams are allowed to filter through the opening in the center of the webbing, while bad dreams are caught and stay in the net, disappearing with the first light of the day.
Lakota Legend of Iktomi (the Great Teacher)
A tribal leader climbed on top of a mountain where he had a vision from Iktomi, a trickster who held great wisdom. Appearing to the leader in the form of a spider, Iktomi made a hoop of willow and spun a web inside of it.
He told the elder man that many forces, both bright and dark would attempt to enter peoples’ dreams and that the dream catcher he was making would catch the bright forces and allow the dark ones to slip away and burn up. Iktomi instructed the old man to make dream catchers for his people so they could all achieve a bright future by capturing the good dreams that are blown about by the winds of the night.
Authentic Design of the Dreamcatcher as per Traditions:
- The Hoop: The wooden willow hoop was either circular or teardrop shaped. Some believe it represents the circle of life.
- The Web: The web, traditionally patterned after a spider’s web, was to catch dreams
- The Feathers: They provide a soft ladder for the good dream to glide down and gently enter into the dreamer’s mind.
- The Beads: A single bead represents the spider that made the web. Many beads or hanging beads can represent good dreams that were trapped during the night.
- Shells & Gemstones: They represent one's connection with Earth. Each gemstone has its own healing powers and symbols as well.
- Arrowheads: Increased strength and protection, arrowheads point to the four corners of the earth