The dream catcher Is important to the Lakota based on the legend below

–       according to legend: The dream catcher catches all the good in their dreams and visions in the web and is carried with those people for their lives

–       The bad/ evil in their dreams escapes through the hole in the center and are no longer apart of them

Theories about the parts of the dream catcher:

– original dream catchers were plain with no beads or feathers

Feathers- good thoughts slide down the feathers to the sleeper.

Web- because of the spider from the story below : “Use the web to help your people reach their goals, making good use of their ideas, dreams and visions.”

Beads/ feathers/ horseshair/ Wooden hoop- offerings in the original legend

You will usually find a single stone or bead affixed to the web to represent the spider who keeps the web clear of stray energies, dream fragments, or bad intentions sent your way. These are consumed by the spider keeping it content and healthy.

Uses: “Dream catchers were given to new born and or hung on an infant’s cradleboard for good dreams. The larger sizes were hung in lodges, for all to have good dreams.  It is never too late to acquire a dream catcher.”

Dream Catcher Legend; Lakota Dream Catcher History

“Long ago when the word was sound, an old Lakota spiritual leader was on a high mountain and had a vision. In his vision, Iktomi, the great trickster and searcher of wisdom, appeared in the form of a spider. Iktomi spoke to him in a sacred language. 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. 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. Finally we go to old age where we must be taken care of as infants, completing the cycle.

But, Iktomi said as he continued to spin his web, in each time of life there are many forces, some good and some bad. If you listen to the good forces, they will steer you in the right direction. But, if you listen to the bad forces, they’ll steer you in the wrong direction and may hurt you. So these forces can help, or can interfere with the harmony of Nature. While the spider spoke, he continued to weave his web.

When Iktomi finished speaking, he gave the elder the web and said, The web is a perfect circle with a hole in the center. Use the web to help your people reach their goals, making good use of their ideas, dreams and visions. If you believe in the great spirit, the web will catch your good ideas and the bad ones will go through the hole.

The elder passed on his vision onto the people and now many Indian people have a dream catcher above their bed to sift their dreams and visions. The good is captured in the web of life and carried with the people, but the evil in their dreams drops through the hole in the web and are no longer a part of their lives. It is said the dream catcher holds the destiny of the future.”