Bad ideas on the other hand pass through the central hole and drift away without causing any harm. There are of course, different interpretations of this legend but they are all variations of the same basic idea.Īccording to the Lakota legend, the dreamcatcher was created to catch good ideas and trap them in the web so that they don’t get lost. The good dreams would then flutter gently down the feathers to the sleeping child while the trapped bad dreams would get destroyed in the morning when the first rays of the sun touched them. According to the Ojibwe legend, the dreamcatcher is designed to trap bad dreams in the web while allowing the good dreams to filter through the hole, bead or gem in the center of the web. As the Ojibwe people traveled further across the land, it became increasing difficult for Asibikaashi to protect them all so she created the first dreamcatcher. The Ojibwe tribe considered Asibikaashi, the spider women, as their spiritual protector who protected their children from harm. Although both legends are similar, there is a slight difference in the way each of these cultures interpret the role and significance of dreamcatchers. The second says they originated from the Lakota tribe. One legend attributes their inception to the Ojibwe tribe. There are two main legends surrounding the origin of dreamcatchers. The Native Americans hung these creations above the cradles or beds of their young children to protect them from bad dreams and night. The dreamcatcher was first created as a kind of protective talisman. These cultures believe that the air at night is filled with good and bad dreams.

The dreamcatcher concept originated from Native American cultures.

Origin of dream catchers