Dream Catcher | History, Origin, Meaning & Indian Symbolism
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In many Native American tribes, a dream catcher is a handmade willow hoop woven to a web or literally, a net. Dream catchers can be traced back to the Ojibwes. The Ojibwe people started the phenomenon and over time, they were adopted by other tribes, cultures and even nations. This adoption was made p
ossible through the process of either intermarriage, trade, or both. Dream catchers became widely adopted by Native Americans in the 1960s and 1970s as a result of the Pan-Indian movement. Dream catchers are considered as a symbol of oneness among numerous indigenous cultures and regions. It is also seen to be a general indication of Native American identity. However, some Native Americans see dream catchers to be misused and offensively exploited by non-Native Americans. History & Origin of the Dream Catcher
It is believed that dream catchers originated with Asibaikaashi who was known as the Spider Woman. She was a custodian of all the infants and the adults. It became a difficult task for her to take enough care of all the Ojibwe people as they started spreading geographically even to the hooks and crannies of North America. The women were in charge of weaving the magical webs for the infants. The women made this possible by using willow hoops and sinew to weave them. The children were provided with charms as a medium of protection. These charms hung above the children's beds to catch any bad dreams or other harm that might be present. Dream Catcher Meaning
Each part of the dream catcher had meanings tied to the physical world. One notable meaning is the dream catcher has a round shape that represents the earth's spherical character. The web absorbs bad dreams at night and discharges them during the day. The feathers act like ladders allowing good dreams to descend on the infant or adult who is sleeping.
