The dreamcatcher legend originated from the Ojibway and Lakota Elders. They tell us that dreams do hold great power and drift about at night before coming to the sleeping ones. To keep the dreamer safe, the Old Ones created a special web, The Dreamcatcher, to hang above their sleeping places. The ancient story told by the Native Elders is that the Dreamcatcher'<WBR>s hoop, with the intricate webbing at it's center, ensures a sleep undisturbed by bad dreams. The good dreams would take the path of the web with great ease to its center and would float gently down the trail of beads, and like the feather, drift down into the minds of the sleepers below.

The bad dreams would struggle with the web and become entangled as the night would pass, leaving them to perish in the rays of the new day sun in the morning.




Lakota tradition believe that the night air is filled with both good and bad dreams.The dreamcatcher, when hung, moves freely in the air and catches dreams as they float by. With the guidance of the spirit beads, bad dreams are allowed passage through the center opening which then slip away into the night without bothering the sleeper. The good dreams are held throughout the night in the webbing and are passed to the sleeper at the light of day, so they may continue to follow their dreams.

Hang them in your home and enjoy pleasant dreams.

The Four Directions represent sacred symbols and spiritual gifts we as individuals acquire on our life travels.

From the East direction the gifts of the Eagle, the color Yellow, Spiritual, Childhood, Air, Spring, Tobacco, Father Sky, our Dreams and Visions, Illumination, Courage and continual growth.

From the South direction comes the gifts of the Cougar, the color Red, Emotion, Youth, Earth, Summer, Cedar, Mother Earth, Trust, Sensitivity, Love and Nourishment.

From the West direction gifts from the Turtle and Bear, the color Black, Physical, Adult, the Unknown, Fire, Autumn, Sage, Grandfather Sun, Clarity, Introspection, Humility, Healing and Protection.

From the North are the gifts of the Polar Bear, the color White, Mental, Elder, life-giving Water, Winter, Sweetgrass, Grandmother Moon, Balance, Wisdom and Wholeness.

 

In Aboriginal traditional storytelling, Elders instruct about equality and respect for the many nations of Mother Earth. The four colours represent a celebration of our identity as Aboriginal peoples and in the diversity of ways that may be expressed. The four colours have an extensive history in Native culture inspired by the teachings of our Elders, and is meant to activate the duties and responsibilities that the Medicine Wheel discloses on love, respect, honesty, truth, courage, humility, and wisdom. The four colours symbolizes all nations on Mother Earth and in modeling these, people take pride in their own culture and respect for the four directions throughout the world. It is also a means to spark communication in initiating each of us to talk to one another and to share our pride in our individual cultures and interconnectiveness<WBR>.