DREAMCATCHER SYMBOLISM

The Circle The shape of the dreamcatcher is a circle because it represents how the sun and the moon travel each day across the sky.[

The Same but Different The Ojibwe believe that a dreamcatcher changes a person's dreams. "Only good dreams would be allowed to filter through… Bad dreams would stay in the net, disappearing with the light of day." Good dreams would pass through and slide down the feathers to the sleeper. Another explanation of Lakota origin, "Nightmares pass through the holes and out of the window. The good dreams are trapped in the web, and then slide down the feathers to the sleeping person."

THE WILLOW Willow trees are sturdy, well anchored trees growing along river banks or near streams, lakes and ponds. Native Americans recognized many useful medicinal and technological qualities of the willow tree. The inner bark and leaves of many willows contains the medicinal extract, salicin, or salicylic acid (salix is Latin for willow). This chemical is the active ingredient in common aspirin. (acetylsalicylic acid). Native Americans chewed or boiled a tea from the willow's leaves or inner bark to relieve fever or other minor pain like toothaches, headaches, or arthritis. The willow is often given the nickname "toothache tree".

Aside from medicine, Native Americans developed many technological applications for willow. Willow branches are straight, pliable and flexible. Many Native American groups used willow to make their arrow shafts. Drawing or painting by Native Americans sometimes used a brush made by bruising the end of a willow twig. The Arapaho people made a veritable bed by attaching a willow backrest to a platform raised a foot off the ground. Willow branches were laid parallel, bent and lashed together to fashion cradleboards by the Apache. Ojibway traditionally used willow hoops to make dream catchers for children's cradleboards, and split willow withes to make dolls.

The Beads Represent the Spider Spider Woman, or Spider Grandmother, strongly feature in Aboriginal myths served as a messenger and teacher for the Creator and was an intercessor between deity and the people. The spider woman taught people how to weave and the spider symbolized creativity and was the weaver of the fabric of life.

Feathers The attached feathers represent a symbol of breath or air. It is essential for life. A baby watching the air playing with the feather on her cradleboard was entertained while also being given a lesson on the importance of good air. This lesson comes forward in the way that the feather of the Owl is kept for wisdom (a woman's feather); & the Eagle feather is kept for courage (a man's feather).