The Dream Catcher
The Legend Of The Dream Catcher
A Spider Was Quietly Spinning His Web In His Own Space
It Was Beside The Sleeping Space Of Nokomis The Grandmother
Each Day
Nokomis Watched The Spider At Work Quietly Spinning Away
One Day As She Was Watching Him Her Grandson Came In
"Nokomis-iya!" He Shouted
Glancing At The Spider He Stomped Over To It
He Picked Up A Shoe And Went To Hit It
"No-keegwa" The Old Lady Whispered
"Don't Hurt Him"
"Nokomis Why Do You Protect The Spider?" Asked The Little Boy
The Old Lady Smiled But Did Not Answer
When The Boy Left
The Spider Went To The Old Woman And Thanked Her For Saving His Life
He Said To Her
"For Many Days You Have Watched Me Spin And Weave My Web
You Have Admired My Work
In Return For Saving My Life I Will Give You A Gift"
He Smiled His Special Spider Smile And Moved Away
Spinning As He Went
Soon The Moon Glistened On A Magical Silvery Web Moving Gently In The Window
"See How I Spin?" He Said
"See And Learn
For Each Web Will Snare Bad Dreams
Only Good Dreams Will Go Through The Small Hole
This Is My Gift To You
Use It So That Only Good Dreams Will Be Remembered
The Bad Dreams Will Become Hopelessly Entangled In The Web"
Another Legend Of The Dream Catcher
Long Ago When The World Was Young
An Old Lakota Spiritual Leader Was On A High Mountain And Had A Vision
In His Vision, Iktomi, The Great Trickster And Teacher Of Wisdom, Appeared
He Came In The Form Of A Spider
Iktomi Spoke To Him In A Sacred Language
As He Spoke, Iktomi The Spider Picked Up The Elder's Willow Hoop
It Had Feathers, Horsehair, Beads And Offerings On It
He Began To Spin A Web
He Spoke To The Elder About The Cycles Of Life
How We Begin Our Lives As Infants
Move On Through Childhood And On To Adulthood
Finally We Go To Old Age
There 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 Will Listen To The Good Forces
They Will Steer You In The Right Direction
But
If You Listen To The Bad Forces
They Will Steer You In The Wrong Direction
They May Even Hurt You
So These Forces Can Help Or Can Interfere With The Harmony Of Nature
While The Spider Spoke
He Continued To Weave His Web
When Iktomi Was Finished Speaking
He Gave The Elder The Web And Said
This Web Is A Perfect Circle With A Hole In The Center
Use This Web To Help Your People To Reach Their Goals
It Will Help Them To Make Good Use Of Their Ideas, Dreams And Visions
If You Believe In The Great Spirit
Then The Web Will Catch Your Good Ideas
But The Bad Ones Will Go Through The Hole
The Elder Passed On His Vision To The People
Now Many Indian People Hang A Dream Catcher Above Their Bed
This Is DoneTo Sift Their Dreams And Visions
The Good Is Captured In The Web Of Life And Carried With The People
But The Evil In Their Dreams Drops Through The Hole In The Center Of The Web
The Evil Is No Longer A Part Of Their Lives
It Is Said That The Dream Catcher Holds The Destiny Of The Future
Author Unknown
Materials Needed To Make A Dream Catcher
5" Ring
4 Yds Suede Lacing
1/8 Inch 3 Yds Immitation Sinew, Waxed Nylon String
1 Small Concho
12 Pony Beads
16 Pony Beads
Feathers
Scissors
Glue
And A Clothes Pin
If You Cannot Obtain The Supplies
Try Making One Using A Small Green Branch From A Tree
About 1cm In Diameter And 1 Meter Long
Just Bind The Ends Of The Branch Together
And Then Make The Web In The Same Way
Creating A Dream Catcher
Cut 8 Feet Of The Suede Lacing
Glue One End Of The Lacing To The Ring
Wrap The Suede Lacing Around The Ring Until You Reach The Starting Point Again
Be Careful Not To Twist The Lacing
Glue The End Of The Lacing To The Ring
Hold It In Place With A Clothespin Until The Glue Dries
2.
To Make The Web
Tie One End Of The Immitation Sinew To The Ring
Make Nine Half Hitch Knots Around The Ring Spacing Them About 1-1/2" Apart
Make The Last Hitch A Little Closer To The First Knot
As This Prevents A Large Gap From Forming
Keep The Thread Pulled Snug Between The Knots
3.
Begin The Next Row Of The Web In The Middle Of The Thread
That You Have Already Weaved On Row 1
Continue Weaving In The Same Way Until You Have A Small Hole Left In The Center
Tie A Double Knot In The Cord
Add A Tiny Drop Of Glue To The Knot
Cut Off The Remaining Thread When Dry
4.
To Make The Loop To Hang Your Dream Catcher
Use A 12" Piece Of Suede Lacing
Fold It In Half And Tie A Knot In The Open End
At The Top Of The Ring
Attach The Lacing By Slipping The Loop End Through The Ring
And Then Around The Ring And Over The Knot
Pull The Lacing Tight To Secure It In Place
5.
To Make The Hanging Sections
Cut Three 8" Pieces Of Suede
Tie Two 8" Pieces Of Suede Lacing
About One Third Of The Way Up Each Side Of The Ring Using A Double Knot
Slip 3 Colored Pony Beads Onto Each Piece Of Lacing And Secure With A Knot
6.
Using The Last 8" Piece Of Lacing To Attach Small Concho To Top Middle Of The Ring
Slip Three Pony Beads Onto Each Piece Of Lacing
7.
Finally
Push Two Feathers Up Inside The Beads On Each Piece Of Lacing
Except The One Hanging From The Concho
Glue The Feathers If They Are Loose
The Last 4 Feathers Are Attatched To Each Side Of The Concho
To Make Larger Sizes
12 Inch Rings Need Approx 7 Yds Of 1/8 Suede Lacing To Bind It
9 Inch Rings - 6 Yds
6 Inch Rings - 4 Yds
Remember That You Will Need Extra Suede For The Laces And Hanger
This Is Just One Of Many Ways To Make Dreamcatchers
What The Symbols Mean
Each Part Of The Dream Catcher Has Significance
Hoops
Strength
Balance Of Mind
Body
Spirit
Webbing
Strength
Wood
Growth
Cutural
Or Community Grounding
Beads
Creativity
Magic
Dreams Or Thoughts
Feather
The Invisible Paths Of Dreams
Or The Voice Of The Spirits
Stone
Grounding In The Earth
Shells
Emotions And Consciousness
According To Legend
Dream Catchers Were Originally Hung Over The Baby's Cradle
Dreams Are Messages From The Spirit World
The Good Spirit Dreams Being Smart
Will Find Their Way Through The Center Hole
They Will Float Down The Sacred Feathers Onto The Sleeping One
The Bad Spirit Dreams Being Stupid
Will Get Caught In The Web And Disappear With The Morning Light
Dreamcatchers Are Believed To Bestow Pleasant Dreams
Good Luck
And Lifetime Harmony
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