Some people place a feather in the center of the dreamcatcher, to symbolize breath or air. In honor of their origin, many dreamcatchers have eight points where the web connects to the hoop (eight points for Spider Woman’s eight legs). When we see little Spider Woman, we should not fear her, but instead respect and protect her. With the first rays of sunlight, the bad dreams will perish. A small hope in the center of the dreamcatcher is where the good dreams come through. The dreamcatcher filters out the bad dreams and allows only good thoughts to enter into our minds when we are asleep. The shape of the circle represents how Grandfather Sun travels across the sky. When the Ojibwe Nation dispersed to the four corners of North America, Spider Woman had a difficult time making journeys to all those baby cradle boards, so the mothers, sisters, and grandmothers weaved magical webs for the new babies using willow hoops and sinew. Long ago, in the ancient world of the Ojibwe Nation, the Clans were all located in one area called Turtle Island. Spider Woman took care of her children, the people of the land, and she continues to do so to this day. 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. To this day, Spider Woman will build her special lodge before dawn.

This is the way the old Ojibwe say Spider Woman helped bring Grandfather Sun back to the people.

Dream catcher origins