Catching Dreams

I learned how to make a dreamcatcher at school today, so that I would be able to teach the Grade 7s how to make one at camp. One of our school's talented Educational Assistant C. taught me and supplied me with all the wonderful materials.

Honestly, I did not know what a dreamcatcher was until I searched about it. I just inferred that it was for "catching" my dreams. And it was. Turns out these works of art were originated by the Ojibwa nation and adopted by the Native Americans. They are meant to be best hung above where one sleeps, so they can block or trap all the bad dreams in the web and pass all the good dreams down to the sleeper through the feathers hanging down.


I think this is such a neat legend. Our versions are made of leather string around a ring and then bee's wax or just white string to design a web of your choice in the centre and then glue some feathers and string some beads below. As well, you can glue or string small "earthly" items on your web. I'm excited to make these with the students!


Maybe I'll never have nightmares again?!?