One of the legends by the Anishnabe (a people also known as the Ojibwe or Chippewa) says that Spider Woman would go to each baby's cradleboard and spin a silken dream catcher above it. When the Anishnabe nation scattered, Spider Woman had a hard time traveling to all the different cradleboards. To assist her, the women of the tribe took up the weaving of dream catchers using willow and sinew.
Another version of the legend says that the People were suffering from bad dreams for which the medicine people had no cure. A council of the People met to discuss the problem. During the council, an elder had a vision of a spider's web within a hoop below which a bead and a feather were attached. The other elders then began creating physical replicas of the object described in his vision, and, when the people used these creations, their nightmares ceased.
Traditional dream catchers are made from circular or teardrop-shaped hoops of willow about five inches across. Sinew is used to weave a webbed design in the hoop with a hole left in the center. Beads are sometimes woven into the web. The Anishnabe legend said that the web could be attached to the hoop of the dream catcher at eight points to represent the number of Spider Woman's legs or at seven points to represent the Seven Prophecies that predicted the future of the Anishnabe nation. They said the dream catcher would gather all kinds of dreams, but only those of relevance to the dreamer would know how to make it through the web, travel down the feather and enter the visions of the sleeping person. The bad or irrelevant dreams, they said, would stick to the web and vanish in the rays of the morning sun.
These days the style and use of dream catchers varies widely. They are made with metal and plastic and other modern materials. They appear as jewelry and wall hangings and are even used as rearview mirror ornaments (let's hope the occupants aren't making a habit of dreaming and driving). If these new styles and uses of dream catchers originated with non-native people, I believe it is another example, albeit minor, of the misuse of Native American traditions, as well as devaluation of an art form rich in history.
Art is seldom static, however, and if these new forms and uses of dream catchers originated with Native Americans, fine. But whether or not their traditions should be changed or adapted over time is a decision that should remain with them.
A few years ago, a relative of mine wanted to make and sell reproductions of a Mandala I own (a Mandala is a variation of a Native American dance shield - having one in the home is said to bring good luck). She thought the Mandala was "cute" and was perplexed by my opposition to her idea. I tried to explain that to reproduce Native American art solely for personal profit and without any understanding of what the art represents would be inappropriate at best. One of the important aspects of Native American art is its ability to provide a means of contact with the people producing it, to motivate us to wonder about them, to want to know more about them and to gain respect for their culture and their past.
Too much has already been taken from Native Americans through misunderstandings, ignorance and greed. A small act, such as using a dream catcher as it is intended to be used, would perhaps begin to repair some of the damage that has been done to Native American culture. At least such an act would show an appreciation and respect for their history and tradition.
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