The+Ojibwe+Dreamcatcher,+Spirituality,+and+Beliefs

= The Ojibwe Legend of the Dreamcatcher =

There exists a legend among the Ojibwe peoples that has been orally handed down from generation to generation. It is a story of how the dreamcatcher came to be an important cultural tradition among native peoples. The story begins in the ancient Ojibwe Nation, where all the clans were gathered in the same area. The Ojibwe elders say that a spider woman by the name of Asibikaashi is known for her ability to capture light from the reflections on the dew at sunrise. She is also the caretaker of the earth’s children, but when the Ojibwe clans separated, she could not easily take care of each child. In her place, a baby’s grandmother would craft a dreamcatcher web to hang above the sleeping child. Ojibwe believe bad dreams become entangled in the web, and when morning light sheds on the dreamcatcher, the bad dreams vanish. Only the good dreams are able to filter through the dreamcatcher, flow down through the feathers, and return to the sleeper.

Legends of the dreamcatcher vary for each tribe, but most, essentially, contain the same theme that the bad gets trapped while the good filters through. The Ojibwe were the original creators of the dreamcatcher. Initially called “sacred hoops”, they crafted dreamcatchers as charms to hang above sleeping babies that would protect them from nightmares as they sleep and bless them with harmony.

= Dreamcatcher Structure =

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**Materials**
Dreamcatchers are constructed with twigs from a willow tree. Once the twigs have been collected, they are bent and allowed to dry in a circular form, serving as the outer ring frame. Occasionally, the frame is wrapped in leather. The webbing is composed of deer sinew string and is wrapped around the frame, which is typically only two to three inches in diameter. Lastly, feathers and beads are attached at the bottom of the dreamcatcher.

**Symbolism**
The traditionally circular shape of the dreamcatcher represents the shape the sun takes, relating back to how Asibikaashi is a captor of light. Often, the dreamcatcher would be shaped into a tear-drop or spiral, depending on its specific use. The animal sinew represents the web spun by the spider woman to trap the bad dreams. The adornment of feathers assists the flow of good dreams back to the sleeping infant. To the Ojibwe people, feathers are also symbolic of wisdom if they come from an owl, and courage if they are from an eagle, and may be used to bless the infant with such qualities.

**Transition into Adulthood**
Another reason dreamcatchers are constructed from willow twigs and sinew is for their fragility and proneness to wear and tear. Someday, the willow becomes too dry and splits. The tension from the tightly bound sinew becomes too much, and the dreamcatcher can snap. A child’s dreamcatcher does not last long, just as young age is fleeting, but it is intended to teach wisdom as they begin discover their spiritual identity. Once a child grows into an adult, their dreamcatcher is designed with a more permanent woven fiber. It still traps the bad ideas and filters the good ideas, but also allows the adult Ojibwe to make use of their good visions and follow the right spiritual path.

= Ojibwe Spirituality and Beliefs =

**Spiritual Connections**
The Ojibwe people believe in the Great Spirit or Creator. Their Creator holds a supernatural power that it shares with all aspects of nature, humans, and the forces of the universe, such as the sun, moon, lightning, ghosts, and thunder. All of these non-living and living things posses animistic spirits, some of which are evil and some of which are good. The Ojibwe oral tradition states that these good spirits can help the people in their quest for self-awareness, growth, and spiritual development because everyone and everything in nature are spiritually connected and influence each other.

**The Vision Quest**
When a young Ojibwe boy or girl reaches the age of adolescence, they are expected to begin a journey called a "vision quest". This quest leads them into the wilderness, where one can find seclusion from the outside world. On these quests, the young Ojibwe practices fasting and meditation in an attempt to invoke a vision or dream. Through these dreams, one becomes capable of being guided on a spiritual path. The main purpose of a vision quest is to discover a spiritual guide. This guide typically comes in the form of an animal, only revealing itself with an important message when it so chooses. The success of a young Ojibwe's vision quest may determine their potential role as a Shaman, or spiritual leader, later in life. Spiritual development continues into adulthood where one discovers the meaning of life and moral responsibilities. Transitioning through each stage of life, an Ojibwe eventually reaches old age, and their sacred journey becomes fulfilled. It is then the responsibility of the elder to impart their wisdom and teachings unto the young tribal members.

**The Medicine Man and the "Shaking Tents"**
The Ojibwe medicine man is both a physical and spiritual healer. He is the tribe's connection to the spiritual world, who calls upon powers and knowledge through song and prayer. The medicine man is responsible for a great deal of knowledge concerning the tribe's ways of life, spiritual healing, and plant and herbal properties. Most importantly, the medicine man is responsible for teaching his young tribal members the Ojibwe way of life and the importance of spiritual healing.

The Ojibwe practice a ritual known as the "shaking tent". The main purpose of a shaking tent is to consult with the spirits about a health issue or an important event in the future. During this ritual, the ailing person lays outside the tent, or wigwam, while the medicine man goes inside to sing or pray to the spirits. Then, when the spirits are present, the tent begins to shake back and forth. The medicine man asks for their advice, and they answer with many different voices, sounding like a crowd. The medicine man then treats the ill person and tells them of the message sent by the spirits.

=**Webliography**=
 * Adare, Sierra. //Ojibwe//. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Pub., 2003. Print. The Ojibwe peoples believe in a Creator that disperses supernatural and spiritual power among all earthly things, living and non-living. Also important to Ojibwe religious beliefs are visions and dreams. All children of a certain age are expected to go on vision quests to seek a spiritual guide, but the guide appears when and how it deems appropriate.
 * Callahan, Kevin L. "An Introduction to Ojibway Culture and History." University of Minnesota. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . The writer of this article cites research by Frances Densmore of the Ojibwe people. She studied their system of spiritual customs and beliefs during her lifetime from 1867 to 1957. Densmore reported that the Ojibwe believed that when one dreamed of a particular subject, they could use that to guide them in their spiritual path. The Ojibwe try to conjure dreams by fasting, meditation, and seclusion of oneself into nature.
 * //The Canadian Encyclopedia//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . This article gives a broad overview of Ojibwe history and culture. In the third paragraph, Ojibwe religion is described as "animistic", the belief that non-living objects have souls, some of which are good while others are evil. Shaman, Midewiwin, and the Shaking Tent are other important aspects of the Ojibwe religion.
 * Dearborn, Lyn. "NativeTech: Dream Catchers." //NativeTech: Native American Technology and Art//. 1995. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . The Ojibwe tribe legend of the dreamcatcher is told in this article. A spider woman by the name of Asibikaashi is the care-taker of children and catcher of light. When the Ojibwe tribe dispersed across the country, she was no longer able to care for each child. In her place, grandmothers and other family members made dreamcatchers to protect sleeping children from nightmares.
 * Desy, Phylameana Lila. "Dreamcatchers - The Legend of the Dreamcatcher." //About.com, Holistic Healing//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . The author of this article briefly explains how the legend of the dreamcatcher varies from tribe to tribe, but they are all essentially the same in that the web protects the sleeper from nightmares and tricksters. The process of making a dreamcatcher follows, listing their component parts as willow, deer sinew, leather, and the artistic license allowed for design and color.
 * "Essiac Tea: Native American Medicine Wheel." //Essiac Tea/Ojibwa - Herbal Products - Holistic Resources//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . The Ojibwe medicine man practices medicine as both an art and a science. He consults a medicine wheel in making his herbal medicines. The medicine men of the Ojibwe tribe are well known for creating a special herbal formula known as Essiac tea.
 * Jenkins, Philip. //Dream Catchers: How Mainstream America Discovered Native Spirituality//. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2004. Print. On page 53, the author describes Ojibwe beliefs concerning the interconnectedness of nature, humans, and the supernatural world. The idea that all things in nature are spiritually connected by their "souls" and influence each other is called "animism".
 * "Lake Winnipeg (Manitoba) - First Nations Page 3." //Great Canadian Lakes//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . A "Shaking Tent" is a ritual to help cure the ill. A sick person lays outside the small tent, or wigwam, while a medicine man calls upon the spirits that are said to be responsible for the shaking movement of the tent.
 * "Medicine Man Collective » The Medicine Man." //Medicine Man Collective//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . The Ojibwe medicine man is responsible for retaining knowledge about his tribe's traditional medicines and rituals. He bestows upon the younger generations the Ojibwe way of life and practices.
 * Merkur, Dan. "The Ojibwa Vision Quest." //Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies// 4.2 (2002). Print. Merkur writes that the Ojibwe vision quest is a "rite of transition into adult status." A vision quest involves, secluding one's self into the wilderness to meditate, fast, and search for a spiritual guardian, which is usually an animal.
 * "Native American Dreamcatchers." //Native American Language Net: Preserving and Promoting Indigenous American Indian Languages//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . This writer deems the dreamcatcher an Ojibwe creation. It is made out of from a small circular or tear-drop shaped willow frame, sinew string, and feathers. The use of the dreamcatcher spread, gaining popularity from various tribes during the 60s and 70s. Different Native American Indians view the dreamcatcher in different ways. Some believe, that because it has become so simple to fraudulently claim as "Indian", the dreamcatcher is a "tacky" symbol of Native Americans.
 * "Ojibwe Culture and History | Dream-Catchers.org." //Dream Catchers History and Legend | Dream-Catchers.org//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . This website functions much like an encyclopedia in terms of the description it provides for the Ojibwe people. It provides an introduction to their people's history and culture. In the third paragraph, the article lists the ideas and items important to Ojibwe spirituality, customs, and ceremonies. These items include prayers, visions, guardian spirits, dreams, the sweatlodge, and medicinemen.
 * "The Ojibwe Peoples and Their Culture." //Dream Catchers of the Seventh Fire Dream Catcher Heritage Collection//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . In the section for spiritual beliefs on this webpage, items important to Ojibwe religion are listed. These include birch bark scrolls, pictographs, and sweatlodges, all with ceremonial purpose. The Ojibwe believe that one transitions through each life cycle under the guidance of a spirit.
 * "Origin of Native American Dreamcatcher - History OfIndian Dream Catchers." //Inuit Art Northwest Indian Art Eskimo Native Toronto Canada//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . The writer of this article claims the creation of the dreamcatcher is the work of the Ojibwe people. The dreamcatcher was originally constructed using sinew string, tied in a web-like pattern around a small, wooden frame. Good dreams caught in the web flow back down to the sleeper through the feathers, while bad dreams become entangled in the web but vanish once morning sheds its light on the dreamcatcher.
 * Peacock, Thomas D., and Marlene Wisuri. //Ojibwe Waasa Inaabidaa = We Look in All Directions//. Afton, MN: Afton Historical Society, 2006. Print. An Ojibwe medicine man plays the role of a doctor to cure the ill both physically and spiritually. One may be cured through a ceremony, during which a medicine man calls upon his powers and knowledge of plant and herbal properties.
 * "Religion and Expressive Culture - Ojibwa." //Countries and Their Cultures//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . All supernatural forces of the universe posses animistic spirits, which communicated with people through visions and dreams. To the Ojibwe people, dreams and visions were important for their spiritual growth, so interpretation and focus on dreams is a common practice. The amount of success a young Native American boy has on his vision quest determines his future potential as a Shaman.
 * //Song Catcher Magic Lantern Show//. Perf. Frances Densmore. //Song Catcher Magic Lantern Show//. Minnesota Public Radio. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . The narrator of this short clip, Frances Densmore, tells of the importance of nature in Ojibwe spiritual life. She says white people do not understand this importance and their uses. Particularly important to Ojibwe religion are the medicinemen.
 * "The Story of Native American Dream Catchers." //NativeNet - Dedicated to Literature of Native Americans and Indigenous Peoples//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . The legend of the dreamcatcher may vary from tribe to tribe and so might the specific ways in which a dreamcatcher works, but all stories follow the same theme, protecting sleeping children. Today, it is easy for people to mass produce the dreamcatcher, and false authenticity is common.
 * Vecsey, Christopher. //Traditional Ojibwa Religion and Its Historical Changes//. Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1983. Print. The chapter entitled "Puberty Fasting and Visions" begins on page 121 of this book. The author describes the vision quest as the most important ceremony of life cycle transition for the Ojibwe peoples. Both boy and girl adolescents are expected to to go through the processes of secluding themselves from others for spiritual cleansing and a search for a spiritual guardian.
 * "Vision Quest - Is a Quest for the Meaning of Life." //Canadian Native Art - a Cultural Perspective by an Ojibwa Artist//. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . The Ojibwe vision quest is a search for an individual's life purpose. Tribe and family members prepare children for their vision quest. As an adolescent, the vision quest begins, while growth, spiritual development, and self-awareness take place.
 * //YouTube - Legend of Dreamcatchers//. Dir. Cuscoby Ncmizzy106,995 Views. //YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.// Xael McEwan Production, 2010. Web. 15 Apr. 2011. . This video summarizes the Ojibwe dreamcatcher legend. It details how a spider woman character is known for capturing light and caring for the tribe's children, protecting them from nightmares. The dreamcatcher was created when she could no longer visit every child.