[Nfb-krafters-korner] What is a dream catcher?

Thu Dec 2 18:27:07 UTC 2010

A dream catcher is usually a flat circle or teardrop shape that varies in
size, they can range  from tiny about an inch in a half around to huge, I
have seen them as large as 3 foot across.  They usually have a rim around
the edge which is made of something like grapevine, or a pliable twig, or
else can be made of a metal ring that is wrapped with suede lashing.  Inside
the circle is a web like netting, that sort of represents a spider web.  The
web often has a bead woven into it.  There is also usually a feather that
hangs down off the dream catcher.

The legend I had been told is that when one hangs the dream catcher over
one's bed,  the dreams will go up into the dream catcher.  The bad dreams
will get caught into the web.  The good dreams will find their way through
and slide back down to the person sleeping by way of the dangling feather.

In doing some research online I have found the following, which seems more
learned than the legends I have heard.

Native American Technology and Art

Dream Catchers
Asubakacin
(Ojibwe - White Earth Band 
- meaning "net-like, looks like a net")

Bwaajige Ngwaagan
(Ojibwe - Curve Lake Band 
- meaning "dream snare")

Photograph of an Ojibwe 'dream catcher' from the early 1900's [From Densmore
1979]. 
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Today dream catchers are made by Native American artists from many Nations;
a great deal of people are under the impression that the
Lakota/Dakota/Nakota (called Sioux by others) originated the dreamcatcher...
There are many Native American stories and legends about spiders and webs,
but the Ojibwe (called Chippewa by others) originated the dream catcher. A
look at the long tradition of storytelling, oral histories, passed down
parent to child, generation after generation, clears up any confusion about
the origin of dream catchers. 

Frances Densmore conducted an extensive study of material culture of the
Ojibwe/Chippewa living in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada in the
early 1900's and the information is presented in the book, Chippewa Customs,
published by Minnesota Historical Society Press (St. Paul) in 1979. Densmore
describes that articles representing spider webs were usually hung from the
hoop of a child's cradle board, and it was said that 'they catch and hold
everything evil as a spider's web catches and holds everything that comes
into contact with it'. These 'dream catchers' were wooden hoops with a 3 1/2
in. diameter, filled with a web made of nettle-stalk cord that was dyed red
with bloodroot and wild plum inner bark. It is interesting to note that the
'weave' of the dream catcher photographed in Densmore's work is different
from that usually done today. By the early 1900's, dark red yarn had been
substituted for plant fiber in constructing the web by the Ojibwe. Densmore
also mentions a similar netted-hoop made by the Pawnee to represent the
Spider-Woman, a spirit who controlled the buffalo. 

The Ojibwe, whose traditional homeland is around the Great Lakes region,
have ancient stories about the dreamcatcher, how it 'came to be', why it is
used, and how it should be made. A while back there was quite a discussion
about the origin of the dream catcher on the soc.culture.native Newsgroups
and on the Native-L Listserver. 

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  Contemporary dreamcatcher with traditional Chippewa weave, made by my
friend Michael O'Neill (Red Lake Band of Chippewa) and his wife (Fond-du-lac
band of Chippewa). "My wife and I had went out one evening and gathered up
some red willow... the willow is wrapped with one continuous piece of yarn
including the web... it takes about an hour to make....I use a deep red
yarn... like bloodroot".
About the Dream Catcher... 

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from Lyn Dearborn
In response to a question about the FIRST origin of Dream Catchers,
Nov. 1, 1995 to the Native-l Listserver. 

Origin of the Dream Catcher 
Long ago in the ancient world of the Ojibwe Nation, the Clans were all
located in one general area of that place known as Turtle Island. This is
the way that the old Ojibwe storytellers say how Asibikaashi (Spider Woman)
helped Wanabozhoo bring giizis (sun) back to the people. To this day,
Asibikaashi will build her special lodge before dawn. If you are awake at
dawn, as you should be, look for her lodge and you will see this miracle of
how she captured the sunrise as the light sparkles on the dew which is
gathered there. 

Asibikaasi took care of her children, the people of the land, and she
continues to do so to this day. When the Ojibwe Nation dispersed to the four
corners of North America, to fill a prophecy, Asibikaashi had a difficult
time making her journey to all those cradle boards, so the mothers, sisters,
& Nokomis (grandmothers) took up the practice of weaving the magical webs
for the new babies using willow hoops and sinew or cordage made from plants.
It is in the shape of a circle to represent how giizis travels each day
across the sky. The dream catcher will filter out all the bad bawedjigewin
(dreams) & allow only good thoughts to enter into our minds when we are just
abinooji. You will see a small hole in the center of each dream catcher
where those good bawadjige may come through. With the first rays of
sunlight, the bad dreams would perish. 

When we see little asibikaashi, we should not fear her, but instead respect
and protect her. In honor of their origin, the number of points where the
web connected to the hoop numbered 8 for Spider Woman's eight legs or 7 for
the Seven Prophecies. 

Application and Purpose of the Dream Catcher 

White Earth Ojibwe infant 
in a cradle board 
[Densmore 1979].  

It was traditional to put a feather in the center of the dream catcher; it
means breath, or air. It is essential for life. A baby watching the air
playing with the feather on her cradleboard was entertained while also being
given a lesson on the importance of good air. This lesson comes forward in
the way that the feather of the owl is kept for wisdom (a woman's feather) &
the eagle feather is kept for courage (a man's feather). This is not to say
that the use of each is restricted by gender, but that to use the feather
each is aware of the gender properties she/he is invoking. (Indian people,
in general, are very specific about gender roles and identity.) The use of
gem stones, as we do in the ones we make for sale, is not something that was
done by the old ones. Government laws have forbidden the sale of feathers
from our sacred birds, so using four gem stones, to represent the four
directions, and the stones used by western nations were substituted by us.
The woven dream catchers of adults do not use feathers. 

Structure of the Dream Catcher 
Dream catchers made of willow and sinew are for children, and they are not
meant to last. Eventually the willow dries out and the tension of the sinew
collapses the dream catcher. That's supposed to happen. It belies the
temporary-ness of youth. Adults should use dream catchers of woven fiber
which is made up to reflect their adult "dreams." It is also customary in
many parts of Canada and the Northeastern U.S. to have the dream catchers be
a tear-drop/snow shoe shape. 

The above story is a combination of information gathered by Lyn Dearborn,
from California, and Mary Ritchie, of the Northern Woodlands, with
assistance from Canadian elders. Miigwetch! 

Thanks also to Theresa and Aandek for the Ojibwe terms & translations for
dream catchers on Rob's Ojibwe Bulletin Board! 

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Take a look at Jim Shupe's Three-Part FAQ on Dream Catchers 
from a July 26, 1995 submission to the soc.culture.native Newsgroup 

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  Text and Graphics 
C 1994 - 2010 Tara Prindle 
unless otherwise cited.  

this information was found at:
http://www.nativetech.org/dreamcat/dreamcat.html