Dream catchers are ingenious crafts and arts closely identified with the Native American. The original web designed craft of the Ojibwa was used to promote natural wisdom. These Native Americans see Nature as a complete teacher. This Native American craft is made of twigs, feathers and sinews and are woven by the Ojibwa people since the ancient times. They were crafted by the old people to protect newborn children. It is believed that it gives babies a peaceful and beautiful when it hung above the cradleboards.
The history of this original craft of the Indian tribes tracks it roots to a vision of an old spiritual leader of the Lakota Indian tribe. Legend has it that this revered leader had a vision of Iktomi appearing in the form of a spider. Iktomi spoke to the spiritual leader about the beauty of the cycle of life while spinning web using the spiritual leader's willow hoop, feathers, beads and horsehair.
When Iktomi finished with his narration, he gave the web the spiritual leader. The finished craft was a perfect circle with a hole at the center. Iktomi taught the elder to exhort his people to use the web for them to reach their goals in life by making good use of the ideas and dreams. Believing in the great spirit, the elder knew that the web can filter the good ideas and dreams from the bad ones as the latter will not pass through the web.
These Native Americans believe that dreams fill the night air. The good dreams are believed to be clear and know the path to the dreamer. They descend upon the dreamer to the feathers. Any slight movement of these feathered is believed to an indication of yet another passage of a good dream. Bad dreams, on the hand, are considered an errant and confusing. Bad dreams are not able to find the right path through the dream catchers and are finally trapped there until sunrise when they evaporate with the morning dew.
The original dream catchers were woven using the red willow twigs as frame. The thread used comes from the stalk of the nettle. The twigs used as web frame are gathered fresh and are left to dry in a circle mold to achieve the spiral shape they prefer depending upon the intended use.
These Native American craft also became popular in the other Indian tribes like the Lakota, Navajo and Cherokee. Nowadays, it is practically made in every Indian tribe not only in the US but also in Canada. You can expect to find these authentic native craft in any events or festivals of Indian tribes. So popular are these Indian crafts that they have invaded the TV screen. It was featured in one episode of Star Trek-Voyager series.
However, its popularity has also become its bane as cheap imitations started to enter the market. The cheap versions of dream catchers are now being produced by non-natives and even producers from as far as Asia. For those who would like to buy the authentic ones made by Native Indian craftsmen may have to purchase them online.
Beside the children nurseries and decorative candles, these Native Indian crafts are now commonly displayed in walls, headboards, windows and even in the rear view mirrors of our cars.