NATIVE AMERICANS AND DREAM CATCHERS

By: Tabitha Jeffers

NATIVE AMERICANS

Native Americans invented the Dream Catcher when old Lakota, the spiritual leader was on a high mountain and had a vision about them.

ABOUT THE FORCES OF DREAMS

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 where we must be taken care of as infants, 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 listen to the good forces, they will steer you in the right direction. But, if you listen to the bad forces, they'll steer you in the wrong direction and may hurt you.

DREAMS

Native Americans believe that dreams are floating in air.

The Bad dreams would get caught in the web and expire when the sun rose while the good dreams would go through the center and then flow down through the feathers to the sleeping individual to come to them.

TRADITIONAL DREAM CATCHERS

Traditionally Dream catchers are made out of a willow branch or some grapevine, they are bent into a circle then the designed is weaved in and lastly it is decorated.

Using a hoop of willow, and decorating it with findings, bits and pieces of everyday life, (feathers, arrow heads, beads, etc).

Lakota

SUMMARY

Native Americans believe that the night air is filled with dreams both good and bad. The dream catcher when hung over or near your bed swinging freely in the air, catches the dreams as they flow by. The good dreams know how to pass through the dream catcher, slipping through the outer holes and slide down the soft feathers so gently that many times the sleeper does not know that he/she is dreaming. The bad dreams not knowing the way get tangled in the dream catcher and perish with the first light of the new day.

RESOURCES

http://www.dream-catchers.org

Google Images

http://www.wou.edu/~abrown10/my%20portfolio/dreamcatchers.html

http://www.dream-catchers.org/make-dream-catchers-

kids.php