The traditional dream catcher was intended to protect the sleeping individual from negative dreams, while letting positive dreams through. The type of feather generally used signifies different properties the feather of an owl (a woman’s feather) is symbolic of wisdom and an eagle feather (a man’s feather) represents courage.ĭream catchers are one of the most fascinating traditions of Native Americans. The baby watches the feather move in the flow of air is entertained as well as learning the lesson of the air. It is traditional to put a feather in the center as it means breath or air which is essential for life. The web allows for the bad dreams to be caught and the open circle in the center permits the good thoughts to come through. So mothers, sisters, and grandmothers took it upon themselves to make the weaving webs for the new babies.The shape is of a circle as that is how the sun travels each day. Asibikaashi still takes care of her people today however, since the Ojibwa nation has spread to the four corners of North America, it is difficult to make this journey. The ancient story told by the Objibwa tells of Asibikaashi (Spider Woman) who along with Wanabozhoo brought the sun to the people. The legend was that the bad dreams would be caught in the dream catcher’s web. The dream catcher was hung by a sleeping child to prevent nightmares. It is said that the dream catcher holds the destiny of the future. The spiritual elder passed this information on to his people and many hung a dream catcher above their beds. The web will catch the good ideas and the bad ones will go through the hole. He instructed him to use the web to help people reach their goals, using their ideas and dreams. When he had finished speaking he gave the elder the finished web and told him that it was a perfect circle with a hole in the center.

Iktomi also spoke of good and bad forces that can alter the forces of nature. As we enter old age, we need to be cared for like children, which complete the circle. We begin as infants, then on to childhood and then adults. He and the elder spoke about the cycles of life. As they were talking, the spider picked up the willow hoop which had feathers, beads on it and began to spin a web. In this vision, Iktomi, who was a great trickster and teacher of wisdom, appeared in the form of a spider. The Lokata Dream Catcher Legend: Another legend of the dream catcher tells of an old Lakota spiritual leader who was on a very high mountain and had a vision.

Origins of dream catcher