Dreamcatcher

A dreamcatcher is a small hoop with a woven web, first made by the Ojibwe people of North America. Mothers and grandmothers hung them over babies' cradles; tradition says the web holds bad dreams and lets good ones pass. From the 1960s it spread among many Native nations, and from there around the world.

People: Ojibwe (Anishinaabe), North America
Ojibwe name: asabikeshiinh, spider
Hung traditionally: over a baby's cradleboard

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What it means

The Ojibwe word, asabikeshiinh, means spider. In their story Spider Woman, Asibikaashi, watched over the children of the people, and when the nation spread too far for her to reach them all, mothers and grandmothers wove webs on hoops to do her work. The web is said to hold bad dreams until the morning light, while good dreams slip through to the sleeper.

Some tellings say the small opening at the centre of the web is where good dreams pass. Each child often had a dreamcatcher of their own, and some add that the willow was left to dry and break as the child grew: a reminder that childhood does not stay.

Where it comes from

Traditional dreamcatchers are small, made on a willow hoop with a web of nettle fibre and hung over a cradleboard. Some carry a single bead for the spider and, in the old way, may have a feather. From the 1960s and 1970s they became a shared symbol of many Native nations, and later a popular design far from where they began.

How people keep one

Most people hang a dreamcatcher above the bed or by a bedroom window, where it can turn a little in the air and catch the first light. It is a common gift for a new baby or a child's room.

Choosing one, with respect

A dreamcatcher from a shop is usually a decorative piece inspired by the Ojibwe design. If you want one made within the tradition, look for work by Native makers. Hang it where it can move freely, and shake off the dust from time to time.

A small practice

Before bed, put the phone away and sit on the edge of the bed for a minute.
Look at the web and let the last thought of the day settle into it.
Lie down and leave the thought there until morning.

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of a dreamcatcher?

In Ojibwe tradition the web on the hoop holds bad dreams, which fade with the morning light, and lets good dreams pass through to the sleeper.

Where should you hang a dreamcatcher?

Above the bed or near the bedroom window, where morning light reaches it. Traditionally it hung over a baby's cradleboard.

Is it cultural appropriation to have a dreamcatcher?

Views differ among Native people. What most ask for is respect: know where it comes from, do not present it as your own tradition, and buy from Native makers when you want an authentic piece.