Two Dream Catcher Legends

_Elsa_

‘Dream catchers have two legends about their beginnings; one told by the Ojibwe and another told later by the Lakota after they learned about them through trade and intermarriage with the Ojibwe people. 

Ojibwe Legend - A grandmother watched patiently each day as a spider spun his web above her sleeping place until 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.” 

At this, grandmother smiled and continued to watch the spider spin his web. 

Lakota Legend - While receiving a spiritual vision high on a mountain, a Lakota leader met Iktomi, a trickster who also 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 aged Lakota 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.  

As you can see, in the Lakota version, dream catchers trap good dreams, just the opposite of the Ojibwe belief.

Design of the Dreamcatcher & What the Parts Mean - Once again we turn to Frances Densmore to learn about dream catcher design in ancient times. She writes “These articles…consisted of wooden hoops about 3 ½ inches in diameter filled with an imitation of a spider’s web made of fine yarn, usually dyed red. In old times this netting was made of nettle fiber.” 

Nearly every part of a dream catcher had a meaning.

• Hoop: The wooden hoop was either circular or teardrop shaped. It served primarily as a frame for the web, but some believe it represents the circle of life.

• Web: The web, traditionally patterned after a spider’s web, was to catch bad dreams (good for Lakota) and keep them from entering the dreamer’s head.

• Feathers: Numerous purposes are assigned to feathers that hang from the hoop. Many believe they provide a soft ladder for the good dream to glide down and gently enter into the dreamer’s mind.

In more modern times makers have added other items to dream catchers.

• Beads: A single bead often represents the spider that made the web. Many beads or hanging beads can represent good dreams that trapped during the night.

• Gem Stones:  Because it is illegal for most people to possess certain types of feathers, gem stones are now used to replace the symbolism feathers once held.

• Arrowheads:  For increased strength and protection, some makers add arrowheads. For other, arrowheads point to the four corners of the earth, directions from which the wind blows. ’ (Source)

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