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. As he spoke, Iktomi the spider picked up the elder’s willow hoop which had feathers, horsehair, beads and offerings on it, and began to spin a web. Iktomi spoke to him in a sacred language. In his vision, Iktomi, the great trickster and searcher of wisdom, appeared in the form of a spider. Long ago when the word was sound, an old Lakota spiritual leader was on a high mountain and had a vision. I thought that perhaps the best way to approach this is to give some background as well as instructions. The negative dreams would get trapped in the web of sinew, and disintegrate when the first rays of the sun struck them. The positive dreams would be allowed to pass through the hole in the center of the catcher, and glide down the feathers to the sleeping person below.

Traditional dream catchers were made to protect the sleeping from negative dreams, allowing positive ones through. I can think of other uses of the hoop, such as the Hoop Dance, and hoops used in basket designs. Some Native Americans held the hoop in good esteem, symbolizing strength and unity. There is a market for them, and they do add to the Native tourist revenues that support many Native families. Yet, they are often sold at road side stands or other places where authentic Native American goods are available for purchase. They have become associated by many Native Americans as an egregious cultural misappropriation. They can be purchased as key chains, jewelry, large pieces for your home, or small rearview mirror ornaments for you cars. In the Southwest you can find them for sale even in the local gas stations. It has become a décor craze and a roadside tourist stand common commodity. Dream Catchers have become a recognizable symbol associated by Non-Natives with the Native American culture.

Where did dream catchers originate