Legend Ojibway Dream Catcher

 

Long ago in the ancient world of the Ojibway Nation, the Clans were all located in one general area of that place known as Turtle Island. This is the way that the old Ojibway 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 Ojibway 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 and 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 Dreamcatcher will filter out all the bad bawedjigewin (dreams) and 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 Dreamcatcher 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.
It was traditional to put a feather in the center of the Dreamcatcher : 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) and the feather of the eagle 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.
(Native people, in general, are very specific about gender roles and identity.)

The use of gem stones is not something that was done by the old ones. Government laws have forbidden the sale of feathers from our sacred birds, so we use four gem stones,
to represent the four directions.

The woven Dreamcatchers of adults do not use feathers. Dreamcatchers 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 Dreamcatcher. That is supposed to happen.
It belies the temporary-ness of youth. Adults should use Dreamcatchers 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 Dreamcatchers be a teardrop or snowshoe shape.