Dream Catcher

The Native American tradition of dream catchers originated with the Ojibway (Chippewa) Tribe of the First Nations of North America. A dream catcher is a handmade object based on a small bent hoop of wood woven with sinew forming a type of net. Many dream catchers have unique or sacred items incorporated in their design particular to the individual or intention. It was traditional to put a feathers in the dream catcher to represent breath or air. It is said that this special net filters a person’s dreams, letting the good ones go through and catching the bad dreams in the dream catcher’s web. Dream catchers may be used as a sleeping charm protecting one from nightmares. The Ojibwa believe that a dream catcher changes a person's dreams. Good dreams would pass through the netting and float down like a feather, to the sleeper while the bad dreams are trapped in the web and disappear with the morning light.

There is also the Lakota Indian legend of Iktomi who appears as a spider. Iktomi was a teacher of wisdom who spoke of the cycle of life. The spider web represents the cycles of life and connectivity. Iktomi’s belief was that “if you believe in the great spirit, the web will catch your good ideas. The bad ideas will be filtered out and go out through the hole in the middle of the net.”

The web also reminds one to connect with the community to share ideas, dreams and visions.

It has been said that the dream catcher captures the destiny of your future through all the goodness in your dreams. Dream On.