According to Native Americans, dreams that humans have while they sleep, are sent by sacred spirits as messages. 

According to their Legend, in the center of the Dream Catcher there is a hole.  Good dreams are permitted to reach the

sleeper through this hole in the  web.  As for the bad dreams, the web traps them and they disappear at dawn with the first

light.   For some, they try to determine what messages are being passed onto them and what the message represents. 

     The Dream Catcher represents several meanings.  All of the decorations and materials used to decorate them, all have a special meaning.  A single bead in the middle may represent

the spider that is on the web.  Scattered beads throughout the web may represent good dreams that may have been caught

throughout the night.  A feather represents a symbol of breath or air which is attached so it hangs from the center of the ring. It is essential for life. A baby watching the air playing

with the feather on her cradleboard is entertained while also being given a lesson on the importance of  good air.

    

Dream Catchers, also known as Spider Web Charms, are believed to trap unimportant or bad dreams that float in the air, pretty much the way a spider traps insects that

flies into its web.      The Ojibwe Tribe were the very first to design these decorations to protect their infants against bad dreams

that could possibly come throughout the night.  Both bad and good dreams were caught within the web, but only

the good dreams were permitted to slide down along the feathers to the infants head.  Thus, the bad dreams

would become lost within the web and would not be able to find the way to the infant.  By morning, when the sun

rays would bring in light to the child’s room, it would destroy the bad dreams. Here is the Ojibwe Legend that

was traditionally explained verbally.     

Long ago in the ancient world of the Ojibwe Nation, the Clans were all located in one general area of that place

known as TurtleIsland.  

This is the way that the old Ojibwe storyteller say how Asibikaashi (Spider Woman) helped Wanabozhoo bring

giizis (sun) back to the people:    

Asibikaashi took care of her children, the people of the land, and she continues to do

so this day.  When the Ojibwe Nation dispersed to the four corners of North

America to fulfill a prophecy, Asibikaashi had a difficult time making her journey to

all those cradle boards.  So,  the mothers, sisters, and Nokomis (grandmothers) took up the practice of

weaving the magical webs for the new babies using willow hoops and sinew or cordage made from plants.  They are in the shape of a circle

to represent how giizis travels each day across the sky.  The dream catcher will filter out all

the bad bawedjigewin (dreams) and allow only good thoughts to enter into our minds when

we are just abinooji (babies).     

When we see little Asibikaashi, we should not fear her, but instead respect and protect her.  In honor of their origin,

the number of points where the web connected to the hoop numbered eight for Spider Woman's eight legs or seven

for the Seven Prophecies.    

You will see a small hole in the center of each dream catcher where the good

bawedjige may come through.  With the first rays of sunlight, the bad dreams

would perish.

To this day, Asibikaashi will build her special lodge before dawn.  If you are

awake at dawn, as you should be, look for her lodge and you will see this miracle of how she captured the sunrise as the light

sparkles on the dew which is gathered there.

     

The above was used with permission from the following:

Article #677 From the Native American Indian Tribes of the US and Canada.

The Dream Catcher was originally made by tribes such as the Ojibwe, from a hoop of bent willow with

a webbing of sinew. Hung from a baby's cradleboard or near the sleeping area in the lodge, it was believed to sort dreams.Good dreams flowed through the center of the catcher where they then

slid down a feather to the dreamer below. However, bad dreams got caught up in the web and kept

until the first rays of morning light melted them away.

This is an accounting of the legend of the dreamcatcher.

"A spider was quietly spinning her web in her own space. It was beside the sleeping space of

Nokomis, the grandmother.Each day, Nokomis watched the spider at work,

quietly spinning away.

One day as she was watching the spider, her grandson came in.

"Nokomis-iya!" he shouted, glancing at the spider. He stomped over to the spider, picked

up a shoe and went to hit it."No-keegwa," the old lady whispered, "don't

hurt her.""Nokomis, why do you protect the spider?"

asked the little boy.The old lady smiled, but did not answer. When

the boy left, the spider went to the old woman and thanked her for saving her life. The spider said to her, "For many days you have watched me spin and weave my web. You have admired my work. In return for saving my life, I will give you a gift." She

smiled her special spider smile and moved away, spinning as she went.

Soon the moon glistened on a magical silvery web moving gently in the

window. "See how I spin?" she said. "This is my gift to you. See and learn,

for dreams, both good and bad, float on the night air searching for their

destination. This web is a dreamcatcher. If it is hung in the home

above your bed, it will catch your dreams."

"Only good dreams will go through the small hole. The good dreams will go through the hole and slide down the webbing. The good dreams know the right way to avoid getting caught and easily find their way to the center hole

of the Dreamcatcher.

"The bad dreams, being confused and ill-intentioned, will become hopelessly

entangled in the web of the Dreamcatcher, and will perish in the

heat of the morning sun. When Morning comes, the bad dreams will

melt away with the sun as dew upon a spider's web." 

 

They work their way down the web, catching all the good energies of the stones

and other adornments, and finally filter down through the long soft feathers to the

sleeper."

One native legend tells of Grandmother Thought Woman, a Spirit Being. To help guide the people, she asked the willow tree for a branch, which she bent and bound until it formed a perfect circle,

representing the unending cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

From the mighty eagle, Grandmother Thought Woman took a single feather

and suspended it from the circle.

Then she transformed herself into Grandmother Spider Woman and wove a beautiful and protective web of fate in

the circle.

She placed a single stone in the middle of the web. The stone was a symbolic

connection to the Creative Force, clarity, peace, and communication.

Grandmother Thought Woman then gave the Dream Catcher to the people and

explained, "Hang the Dream Catcher above where you sleep, and it will sort all your

dreams.The good dreams will pass through and

bring joy. The bad dreams will be caught in the web, turn to dew, and drip down the feather, which will cleanse the dream.

It will then return it to Mother Earth, where it will never disturb you again."

Pauline Libutti, River Rock Critters.com Trinity