Ojibwe Dreamcatcher Legend

This is the way the old Ojibwe storytellers say Asi-bi-kaa-shi
(Spider Woman) helped Wa-na-boz-hoo bring Grandfather Giizis (Sun)
back to the people. To this day, Asibikaashi will build her special
lodge before dawn. If you are awake at dawn, as you should be, look
for her lodge and you will see how she captured the sunrise as the
light sparkles on the dew which is gathered there.
Asibikaashi took care of her children, the people of the land, and
she continues to do so to this day. Long ago in the ancient world of
the Ojibwe Nation, the Clans were all located in one general area of
that place known as Turtle Island. When the Ojibwe Nation dispersed
to the four corners of North America, to fulfill a prophecy,
Asibikaashi had a difficult time making journeys to all those baby
cradle boards, so the mothers, sisters and Nokomis (grandmothers)
weaved magical webs for the new babies using willow hoops and sinew
or cordage made from plants. The shape of a circle represents how
Giizis travels across the sky.
The dream catcher filters out the bad ba-we-dji-ge-win (dreams)
and allows only good thoughts to enter into our minds when we are
abinooji (asleep). A small hole in the center of the dream catcher is
where the good bawadjige may come through. With the first rays of
sunlight, the bad dreams will perish.
When we see little Asibikaashi, we should not fear her but instead
respect and protect her. In honor of their origin, the number of
points where the web connects to the hoop are 8 for Spider Woman's
eight legs or 7 for the Seven Prophecies. It is traditional to place
a feather in the center of the dream catcher; it means breath, or
air. It is essential for life. In the cradle board, a baby watched
the air play with the feather and was happily entertained with the
blowing feather.

Dream catchers used by adults do not use feathers in the center.
The feather of the owl, keeper of wisdom, was kept by the woman; the
feather of the eagle, keeper of courage, was kept by the man.

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