To catch a bad dream

Henriette Lamprecht – Used to protect sleeping people, usually from bad dreams and nightmares, the Ojibwe American Indians believe good dreams pass through and gently slide down the feathers of a dreamcatcher to the sleeper below. Bad dreams are caught up in its protective net and are destroyed, disappearing in the light of day.

Although a lot of the history of the origins of the dreamcatcher has been lost due to colonialism, one story goes that a mystical and maternal “spider woman” served as the spiritual protector for the tribe, especially for babies and young children. As the Ojibwe people continued to grow and spread out across the land, the spider woman found it difficult to continue to protect and watch over all the members of the tribe as they moved further away. So she created the first dreamcatcher, explains Suzy Seha.

“Mothers and grandmothers would follow her example and recreate the dreamcatcher as a means of mystically protecting their children and families.”

An authentic dreamcatcher uses only natural materials, she explains.

A willow branch made into a hoop or ring and representing the earth, sun and moon, sinew, leather or plant fibre “string”, natural (rather than coloured) feathers and a real, rough crystal and you have your own dreamcatcher.

“Authentic dreamcatchers are actually quite small,” says Suzy.

“Real and authentic dreamcatchers are difficult to find these days.”

Back in the day, made of all natural material, the dreamcatcher would naturally succumb to nature and the elements and thus it would expire which they weren’t intentionally made to do.

“Some people believe if the sun does not reach your dreamcatcher, not all the bad dreams will disappear at sunrise. Your dreamcatcher may get clogged with bad dreams and need to be smudged with the smoke of sage or shaken out over a bowl of water. That is however for you to decide!”

Traditionally dreamcatchers were hung above the baby’s crib or bed, but these days they are hung everywhere and anywhere, says Suzy.

“Even if yours is purely decorative, it still imparts the idea of good intention, dreams and something positive.”

To make a dreamcatcher one will need a hoop or wood or metal and some leather or fabric to cover the hoop. Also needed is string or yarn of sorts with which to weave your web; fabric, ribbon and yarn to hang from the hoop, as well as beads and feathers hanging from the fabric and ribbons. One crystal is added to represent one God.

Start by wrapping the hoop in the fabric or leather. Weave the web and lastly add the ribbon or fabric and the feather. The final touch is to add your crystal in the middle of the web.

Your dreamcatcher can be as simple or elaborate as you wish to make it, says Suzy.

“Using all natural materials will make it more authentic but today we have many different materials we can use and it does not detract from the intention and meaning. It is important to have a web and feathers in all dreamcatchers.”

According to Suzy the hoop or ring is traditionally more teardrop shape than 100% round.

“The web should cover the middle of the hoop. Feathers hang from the hoop towards the sleeper.”

Beads on the web are thought to represent the good dreams that didn’t make it down the feathers before sunrise and crystalised on the web making the dream immortal. Others say the beads on the web are a representation of the spider, but the more authentic and natural the materials used, the better.

The process of making a dreamcatcher offers many benefits, says Suzy.

This range from stepping out of your comfort zone, expressing creativity, making choices and living with the decision (especially for children), strengthening fine motor skills and practising patience.

“The weaving process challenges a perfectionist. The process is meditative and mindful and you have fun with good intentions. I find children lose all competitiveness and are kind and help one another. The interaction between the adults and kids is wonderful.” – [email protected]; www.suziseha.com