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Original Dream Catcher

4/8/2022
Original Dream Catcher Rating: 4,9/5 4959 votes

The dream catcher is most commonly associated with Native American culture. Originating from the Ojibwe people, who lived primarily in the northern USA and Canada, the dream catcher shares a story that bends the the seams between dreams and reality.

Nowadays often seen in souvenir and gift shops or hanging off a bedroom wall, these handcrafted trinkets typically consist of a round, woven net of various fiber or red willow, and adorned with feathers, leather, beads, or various other materials differentiating from tribe to tribe.

Dream Catchers are a spiritual tool used to help assure good dreams to those that sleep under them. A dream catcher is usually placed over a place you would sleep where the morning light can hit it. As you sleep all dreams from the spirit world have to pass through the dream catcher. The dream catchers were made of willow. 'The little opening at the centre of the web allowed the good dreams to pass through and filter down through the feather (s) hanging from the dream catcher, and into the dreaming minds of the children. It was another stage of life that a child went through,' explained Longboat. The original dream catchers come from Native American culture; today’s associations with the dream catcher are similar. According to modern legends, pleasant dreams catch in the ringed web and float along the ribbons to give you happy dreams and a restful night's sleep.

Original Handmade Dream Catcher

The Ojibwe Dream Catcher Legend

The Ojibwe word for a dream catcher is ‘asabikeshiinh’. This term is the inanimate word for ‘spider’. According to American ethnographer ‘Frances Densmore‘, the origin of the dream catcher lies in a folktale of the Asibikaashi. The Asibikaashi were believed to be a type of human and spider hybrid, who along with Wanabozhoo, brought the sun to the people of the land.

After this, they became caretakers of the children, the tribe, and the land. The story goes on to say that as the Ojibwe tribe began to occupy more territory it became more taxing for the Asibikaashi to tend to all the land. This led to the tribal women spinning web shaped ornaments out of willow, sinew or cord to give to children and infants as protective charms. It was thought that these charms would catch any evil, or bad dreams that might be in the air, similar to how a spider web catches whatever flies into it.

The Lakota Dream Catcher Legend

Original Dream Catcher

Long ago, when the world was young, an old Lakota spiritual leader was on a high mountain. On the mountain, he had a vision. In his vision, Iktomi – the great trickster and teacher of wisdom – appeared in the form of a spider.

Iktomi spoke to him in a sacred language. Only spiritual leaders of the Lakota could understand. As Iktomi spoke, he took the elder’s willow hoop – which had feathers, horse hair, beads and offerings on it – and began to spin a web.

He spoke to the elder about the cycles of life and how we begin our lives as infants. We then move on to childhood and in to adulthood. Finally, we go to old age where we must be taken care of as infants, thus, completing the cycle.

“But,” Iktomi said as he continued to spin his web, “in each time of life there are many forces – some good and some bad. If you listen to the good forces, they will steer you in the right direction. But, if you listen to the bad forces, they will hurt you and steer you in the wrong direction.”

He continued, “There are many forces and different directions that can help or interfere with the harmony of nature and also with the Great Spirit and all of his wonderful teachings.”

All while the spider spoke, he continued to weave his web … starting from the outside and working toward the center. When Iktomi finished speaking, he gave the Lakota elder the web and said, “See, the web is a perfect circle, but there is a hole in the center of the circle.”

“Use the web to help yourself and your people … to reach your goals and make use of your people’s ideas, dreams and visions. If you believe in the Great Spirit, the web will catch your good ideas, and the bad ones will go through the hole.” (Note: Some bands believe the bad ideas are caught in the web and the good ideas pass through to the individual. Either account is acceptable.)

The Lakota elder passed his vision on to his people. Now, the Sioux use the dream catchers as the web of their life. Traditionally, it is hung above their beds or in their homes to sift their dreams and visions. Good dreams are captured in the web of life and carried with them … but the evil dreams escape through the center’s hole and are no longer part of them. (Note: Some bands believe the bad ideas are caught in the web and the good ideas pass through to the individual. Either account is acceptable.)

Lakota believe the dreamcatcher holds the destiny of their future.

Question: 'Is it wrong for a Christian to have a dream catcher?'
Answer:
Dream catchers have long been a part of Native American religion, lore, and art, originating with the Ojibwe, or Chippewa, and the Lakota, a confederation of seven Sioux tribes. Dream catchers are webbed and beaded circles hung with feathers from the base of the circle. As one might suspect, the purpose of a dream catcher is to catch dreams—that is, to trap bad or evil dreams and channel good dreams to the sleeper. Dream catchers are usually placed in a window or above the bed, allowing the good dreams to drip down the feathers onto the sleeper below.
Essentially, a dream catcher is intended to manipulate the spirit world. Some people believe in the efficacy of dream catchers. Others are unsure but are superstitious enough to keep one in the bedroom. Still others see dream catchers as part of a cultural history or a piece of art that looks good dangling from a rear-view mirror.
Knowing the background of dream catchers and their talisman-like use, many Christians want nothing to do with them. Is such concern warranted? A passage in 1 Corinthians 8 may be helpful. Paul is speaking to Christians living in an extremely pagan culture ruled by superstition, magic, and sacrifices, all done in the name of various idols. The sacrifices were a particular concern, for the meat sacrificed was then sold at market. Some Christians felt eating sacrificed meat was endorsing the sacrifice and therefore inappropriate for a Christian; others believed that, since they were not worshiping the idol themselves, it was not wrong.

Original Dream Catcher Images

Paul’s guidance was this: “There may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”—yet for us there is one God. . . . However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled” (1 Corinthians 8:5–7). Ultimately, “food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do,” yet we must be careful “that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak” (1 Corinthians 8:8, 9). Just as it was with meat associated with idolatry in the 1st century, so it is with superstitious objects in the 21st.

Meaning Of A Dream Catcher

The Christian understands that false gods are nothing and that a dream catcher has no power in itself. The believer in Christ could easily see a dream catcher as nothing more than a craft or a cultural expression. However, before he buys a dream catcher and hangs it in the window, he should consider other people’s reactions to it. Will others see it as a charm to manipulate the spirit world? Will someone assume the one in possession of a dream catcher approves of Indian religions? Keeping a dream catcher is a matter of conscience; as long as it is not used as a good luck charm, it is innocent enough. But consideration must be given to those we seek to minister to.

Dream Catcher Meaning Symbolism