Today, dream catchers are often used as decor by non-Native Americans and people who like the New Age or boho aesthetic. They may also symbolise shared hope and healing, like the dream catcher made after the Red Lake, Minnesota shootings. When it became difficult for Asibikaashi to reach all children, mothers made their own charms.ĭuring the Pan-Indian Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, dream catchers became a symbol of unity among the Native Americans and First Nations people. According to an Ojibwe legend, the protective charm came from the Spider Woman (Asibikaashi) who takes care of children.

WHAT DOES A DREAM CATCHER SYMBOLISE?Ī dream catcher, also referred to as a “sacred hoop” symbolises a spider web that traps harm and ill feelings. Dream catchers may also contain sacred beads, feathers and other items. Traditional dream catchers were made of willow hoop and woven with a net of string or sinew and used to protect babies. The dream catcher catches any harm that might be in the air, like a spider web traps anything that comes near it. Dream catchers for kids have an interesting history.Ī dream catcher is a spider web or net-like charm originating from some Native American cultures.