The Dream Catchers were made to put over babies cradles by N.A. Tribes to keep nightmare/evil spirits away. If the Dream Catcher became full it was brought to the spiritual shaman to have it cleansed and blessed. They are not portals for evil spirits to come though, quite the opposite. So rest assured your cat playing with it didn't harm it. Rebecca, of Petite Party Studio, shares this fun craft project for kids that will pull double duty at keeping away bad dreams—a whimsical DIY dreamcatcher.
by K Shabi PUBLISHED 14 July 2016
What is the true meaning and history behind the Native American dreamcatcher? Where do dreamcatchers really come from? You've probably seen a dream catcher hanging from a tree, a porch or even in a souvenir gift shop and wondered about its purpose and meaning. Read on to learn more about the story, legend, and origins of authentic Native American dream catchers.
Authentic Native American Dream Catchers
Originally created by American Indians, dreamcatchers today come in a variety of different sizes and styles. They usually consist of a small wooden hoop covered in a net or web of natural fibers, with meaningful sacred items like feathers and beads attached, hanging down from the bottom of the hoop. Real authentic, traditional dream catchers are handmade and crafted only from all natural materials, in size measuring just a few small inches across. The hoop is traditionally constructed from a bent Red Willow branch covered in stretched sinews. Wrapping the frame in leather is another common finishing touch among 'real' dream catchers.
History of the Dreamcatcher: Ojibwe or Lakota Origins?
Zamsino new casinos. Today the dreamcatcher is associated with Native American culture in general, but dream catchers are often believed to have originated from the Ojibwa Chippewa tribe in particular. The Lakota tribe also has its own legend about the origins of the dreamcatcher, but most ethnographers believe the dreamcatchers were passed down from the Ojibwe through intermarriage and trade. The Ojibwe word for dreamcatcher asabikeshiinh actually means 'spider,' referring to the woven web loosely covering the hoop. The patterns of the dream catcher web are similar to the webbing these Native Americans also used for making snowshoes.
Ojibwa Legend: The story of the Dream catcher
Ancient legends about the history and origin of the dreamcatcher exist among several Native American tribes, but are most common and seem to originate among the Ojibwe and Lakota nations. While many cultures consider spiders to be creepy crawlers, the Ojibwe people saw them in a different light, as symbols of protection and comfort. According to an old Ojibwa legend, a mystical and maternal 'Spider Woman' once served as the spiritual protector for her tribe, especially in concern to young children, kids and babies. As the Ojibwe people flourished and spread out across the land, it was difficult for The Spider Woman to continue to protect and watch over all the members of the tribe as they migrated farther and farther away. This is why she created the first dreamcatcher. Following her example, over the course of generations mothers and grandmothers continued to ritualistically recreate the maternal keepsake as a means of mystically protecting their children and families even from a distance.
What do dream catchers do? Purpose & Meaning of the Dream Catcher
Sometimes referred to as 'Sacred Hoops,' Ojibwe dreamcatchers were traditionally used as talismans to protect sleeping people, usually children, from bad dreams and nightmares. This Native American tribe believes that the night air is filled with dreams, both good and bad. When hung above the bed in a place where the morning sunlight can hit it, the dream catcher attracts and catches all sorts of dreams and thoughts into its webs. Good dreams pass through and gently slide down the feathers to comfort the sleeper below. Bad dreams, however, are caught up in its protective net and destroyed, burned up in the light of day.
Dream Catcher Meaning: Web, Feathers & Beads
All parts of the authentic Native American dreamcatcher have meaning tied to the natural world. The shape of the dreamcatcher is a circle because it represents the circle of life and how forces like the sun and moon travel each day and night across the sky. The dream catcher web catches the bad dreams during the night and dispose of them when the day comes. As for the good dreams, the feathers act as a fluffy, pillow-like ladder that allows them to gently descend upon the sleeping person undisturbed. There is some contention when it comes to the meaning of the beads that often decorate the dreamcatcher. According to some American Indians, the beads symbolize the spider—the web weaver itself. Others believe the beads symbolize the good dreams that could not pass through the web, immortalized in the form of sacred charms.
Dreamcatcher Meaning Today: Authentic Symbol or Cultural Appropriation?
Though dreamcatchers are quite common, finding real authentic dreamcatchers is not that easy today. Real handmade dream catchers are usually small in size and feature sacred charms like feathers and beads. Many dreamcatchers for sale today, however, are much more American than Native American, often oversized and constructed from cheap plastic materials. Many Native Americans still consider the dreamcatcher to be a long-standing cultural symbol of unity and identification among the many Indian Nations and First Nations cultures. Sadly, many other Native Americans have come to see dream catchers as just another cultural appropriation, over-commercialized and at times offensively misappropriated and misused by non-Natives.
filed under: culture, symbol
Ages:all
Crafts
By Jackie Currie, Happy Hooligans
Sep 27, 2016
Sometimes when the hooligans and I are chatting here in my daycare, they get talking about a a dream they had the night before, and that gets everyone talking about their dreams. Inevitably, someone will mention a bad dream that they had, and the conversation takes a turn.
Often, when they get talking about scary dreams, they start discussing other things that scare them at bedtime — monsters under the bed, their fear of the dark, and being left alone in their room after they've been tucked in. These bedtime fears are common among little ones, and while kids should talk about their fears with a parent or caregiver, talking about them with other little ones can instil new fears in the heads of the other children.
When this happens here in my daycare, I like to introduce the hooligans to my 'dream catchers', which are based on the dream catchers originated by the Ojibwe Nation. A dream catcher is a woven web that’s said to allow only good thoughts through to enter our minds when we’re sleeping. The web traps any bad thoughts before they can enter our dreams.
Then we set about making simple paper plate dream catchers that the kids can take home to hang in their bedrooms.
These dream catchers are fun and easy to make, and the process is made up of a number of steps that help to develop fine motor control.
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Let me show you how we make them!
To make a paper plate dream catcher, you’ll need:
- paper plate
- paint
- paintbrushes
- hole punch
- beads
- craft feathers
- yarn
- plastic sewing needle (optional)
- tape
You can begin by cutting the centre out of your paper plate, leaving only the rim to work with, or your child can paint the entire plate, and cut the centre out when the paint is dry.
Have your child paint the paper plate in their favourite colours. Let them decorate it however they want. My youngest hooligans like to blend and mix their colours, or paint large blocks of colour while the older kids prefer to paint more detailed designs.
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When the paint is dry, have your child punch holes all around the rim of the plate. Using a hole punch can be tricky for young children but it’s great for developing hand muscles and co-ordination. See how well your child can manage without help before jumping in to assist.
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Now it’s time to weave that web.
Cut a long length of yarn, and tape it to the back of the plate. Your child will weave the yarn in and out of the holes, criss-crossing over the open centre of the plate, and threading beads on to the yarn wherever they wish.
When they’re happy with the web they’ve woven, secure the loose end of yarn to the back of the plate with another piece of tape.
To finish the dream catcher, cut several pieces of yarn in varying lengths. Tape these to the back of the plate, allowing them to dangle freely. String a few beads onto these pieces of yarn, and knot them in place, leaving a length of tail. Glue a few feathers to the tails of yarn, and your dream catcher is complete!
Tape a loop of yarn to the top for hanging.
Sweet dreams!
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Scary Dream Catcher Drawing
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