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| Native American Pottery, a jug, a bowl, a nest to capture the blue, the soul in you! |
I think we need more love, a Prince should die for love. And I will realize, to help my brother's eyes. I know I need some heartache, to pull me the right way through. I know I need a witness, oh Lord help me kiss it.
When all is said and done, my heart feels like it's on the rungs. each step I take it pleads, get down upon my knees. I beg and plead each day, but that's not the Princely way. I know I must confound, tell all about the clowns (healings). But as I go inside, where the miracles are hide (four directions), then I must show the hues, with miracles that stand through. Where my song is dancing, my waking hour come alive. I know we are the witness to the shout, I come alive.
And when I miss the target, my soul must sit for awhile. I need to listen to the heartbeat, sow I can feel a smile. Where the dog (solider and relative true) is waiting, I will be next to you. And when I sit to linger, my soul will rekindle, the prayers in my heart, to speak to the holy arc. We are but a shadow, but light (a light from within) fills us divine. With the inside singing, then all will be the wind. I can dance and shed out wisdom, now my eyes, need sea again. I will sing and shout out wisdom, for all to sea mine eyes (visions).
Where I go, my heart will worship, all the love's caves that set inside. I will go there to find you, to tell you it's about time to come outside. Now I know I have been around for awhile, but I had other things to dew. But now, I can walk right to you, the hidden cave with all the knives (sharing). If only others would band there, we could be together one more time. But all my brothers and sisters want me, to gather until the night. Then they disappear from me and I am left with darkness in the sage. I must spill what I see, to let the world be enraged (thunder roaring stream, in order for us to dew something about it).
I will find my soul within this, the flowing rivers that set us all free. If only I could be a Prince today, then all will be the right way.
White Buffalo Calf Woman sings.
Royal host, the soul with the most. That's the Prince who walks and talks the right way.
White Buffalo Calf Woman: Beloved Thunder Roaring Stream.
Thunder Roaring Stream: Aho my Sister
White Buffalo Calf Woman: Aho Brother. I have added you to hoop 3 (as requested) and was wondering if you are going to communicate with the hoops? Aho, your turn go...
Thunder Roaring Stream: Oh yes... I have been on the red road too much. I feel spiritually drained, almost empty.
White Buffalo Calf Woman: That's what the red road does, offer you the law.
Thunder Roaring Stream: I offer prayer and blessings but feels empty almost fake.
White Buffalo Calf Woman: Practice makes perfect. No practice no perfection. Your child doesn't know math. Do you say, give up? No, you say, "practice". A young girl came to me and said, she could not hear the animals anymore. I said, "are you talking to the them?" (Are you in practice?) She then realized, she stopped talking to the animals, thus how could she hear them. Does a child when learning to walk stop trying? No, even after all the falls, picks self back up and tries again. This is called, "dusting off your feet".
Thunder Roaring Stream: I will begin writing (sharing) again today (at the great circle). Feeling awake.
White Buffalo Calf Woman: Fake to awake.
Thunder Roaring Stream: You are right Sister.
White Buffalo Calf Woman: Well, practice will make "awaken" is the sake, the keep sake. One very big thing is marriage. You are in a honey moon period the first year (red road, supposed to be full of joy when prayers are shown). And also, when everyone showed up at your wedding, you both went right on the red road, because everyone at your wedding was on the red road. You both just jumped on it, because all your family does it and we want to be together with family, don't we? Yes, we do.
Thunder Roaring Stream: Yes.... I haven't been a very good Brother... Sorry!White Buffalo Calf Woman: However, you are wanting to get the whole family to the blue road. And it starts with prayer. There wasn't any prayer, for everyone. And a group of people who know more about prayer than most (red man), you all lost the prayer. Stuck on the red road is the law of love. We are forced to face the law, more and more lessons. Lessons take more effort, thus you feel drained. Putting more into it, blessings, daily and dance and song with your family, will change from the red road to the blue road. The fight is to get everyone on the blue road, including those stuck on the red road.
Thunder Roaring Stream: All of us
White Buffalo Calf Woman: Yes. All of us, must start on the blue road. Blue, red, then yellow, then white. Always this order. Blue is heavenly, virtues that fight for love, unification of hearts. Red is intelligence, how to walk the talk, with true love. How to take someone down, who is not loving.
Thunder Roaring Stream: Aho... oneness
White Buffalo Calf Woman: If you are stuck on the red road, feeling vacant, it's because you have ignored the blue road. We fill up on the blue road. We come to the circle in the blue road. Red road is moving around the circle, always moving. Blue road is the circle, all together, like a sound wave/blast. Sound of the heartbeat is first. Dance to the heart beat is second (red road). Sing and dance with the heartbeat is third (yellow road). Explode your soul, let it all go, holy smoke roll (white road). Share your heart, expose your arc. Let the world know, the yellow child can dance and sing and let it all ring. Brotherhood deems your worth, when you shake the earth.
Thunder Roaring Stream: I see... I have not stopped the dance, just lost focus.
White Buffalo Calf Woman: I am forced to dance all the time, to help my pain. And I am dancing when I am cooking, walking to the bathroom and etc. And no matter what else I do, nothing seems to work like the dance (for me, I am constantly singing, adding the dance seemed necessary).
Thunder Roaring Stream :-) keeps us in shape.
White Buffalo Calf Woman: Yes, this part feels good, but it's more. I think we use muscles we have sex with (love's action in the dance and song). And since you are having lots of sex, honey moon period (Thunder Roaring Stream just got married May of this year). It helps to have the dance, to keep up. But the sing song is missing. Just add singing while you dance. This will bring back the blue inside of you. This way, when you have sex (make love to your/his wife), the soul will be in a trance. Your wife will know.
White Buffalo Calf Woman: Sex (love) without the soul is just an action. Sex (love) with the soul is divine. Love is like sex, up down, all around, in and out. This is the world, we share this when we "love make" with our partners. The whole world flows through us, because love's force, gifts us great treasures. A pure heart shines divine.
Thunder Roaring Stream: Very true
White Buffalo Calf Woman: Learning to love make to the whole world, without actual sex (coitus) is the intercourse. True love is gifted freely and received freely. This is the vital exchange, with or without sex (coitus), for all is intercourse between our clan members, as all our relatives. Meaning, we are learning to share love with everyone. One indigo child visited me and she told me of a story, when many people naked all slipped and slid on a bed of oil. She said it was so freeing for her. I don't think this is a virtue, but an indigo will try anything and she was white, the baby clan (no sex for them, it was just oil nakedness).
Thunder Roaring Stream: I can see it a bit clearer
White Buffalo Calf Woman: But to be free sexually means, our hearts feel free. This is the blue road. We always attempt to get to the blue road from the red road.
Thunder Roaring Stream: Show how?
White Buffalo Calf Woman: We must start on the blue road to get to the red road. Dance is red road, walking.
Thunder Roaring Stream: I see.
White Buffalo Calf Woman: Sing is blue road, talking. When you dance, you don't really have to use words, but sounds, just let it go free. Don't worry about what is said, just let it bled (bleed out, like dye). I wanted to cut my hair yesterday, the last 8 inches or sow. But I heard a loud no/know.
Thunder Roaring Stream: The color of dreams :-)
White Buffalo Calf Woman: It was the tail, like on a shooting star, the tail is thinner. The hair is the fiber of your prayer cloth. And the colors of dreams as well. These streams are many splendid colors. But all fire's light, the eternal flame starts on the blue road of heavenly darkness. Stillness, erupts, like a geyser, flowing in every direction. You start to spin.
Thunder Roaring Stream: Why streams and not directions?
White Buffalo Calf Woman: The nine streams flowings inside the four directions.
Thunder Roaring Stream: Aho... I seeWhite Buffalo Calf Woman: You know that picture I use of the nine streams?
Thunder Roaring Stream: No
White Buffalo Calf Woman: http://www.facebook.com/twindeermother Okay, nine streams. You see it right.
Thunder Roaring Stream: I see it :-) aho
White Buffalo Calf Woman: Imagine the box or four sides from the corners folding to the center (image below diagrams this).
Thunder Roaring Stream: Aho
White Buffalo Calf Woman: This is how we move, literally. The four directions fold to the center and push us forwards, through the nine streams. This only happens with true love, through the actions of holiness. This is the Morning Star (eight and center stands, nine streams) or the Jewish Candelabra for Hanukkah (eight and lighter stands, nine streams. Just as our image portrays).
Thunder Roaring Stream: I see. The sun?
White Buffalo Calf Woman: (shavah - sun shines the soul divine) The sun is nine streams, round, like a blood cell. Each a fire's light. The sun (red) is birthed from the blue ring and it radiates out the yellow. Nine streams beam. The four directions keep it contained, the river shores, the relatives we adore. Four sides is the green grass. New beginning come when we use the force of love, all four corners to the center. When we don't use the force of love, we feel vacant. The red road, forces us to look for the blue road (soul seeking), when we feel spiritually drained. And contains us in four directions (Grandmother gray or red-green). True and real love pushes us forwards into our dreams. Not using true love, makes us feel stuck and drained. At least drained is like a rocky soil, letting the earth boil (heat rises). Still looking for some rain (blue waters) and possible rainbows, the blue road shows (heavenly virtues).
Thunder Roaring Stream: How do we all leave the blue road at the same time?
White Buffalo Calf Woman: In hoop 3, I sent out a welcome with your name on it with Thunder Raging. Please just respond and say hi. This is all you need to stay in hoop 3 (red road), okay. We never leave the blue road. This is heaven. Learning to use the blue road, this is heavenly virtues. Maybe you can rephrase your question? You said, "How do we all leave the blue road at the same time?" are you talking about your family? or whom?
Thunder Roaring Stream: Darwin (son) me, mama (wife) and the rest of our family fell.
White
Buffalo Calf Woman: Yes, I explained this to you. Familiar. Your
family, relatives, are all on the red road. Your family wants to know
the relatives family. You want to be loved, but they don't know how to
love you true. But it's what you have done all your life, it's familiar.
Thus you go to where it's familiar, because you want to feel loved. But
they don't know how to love you like you want, because no one is on the
blue road there. Blue road love moves the four directions. Red road
love moves you through the nine streams. Blue road love is a force,
pushing you down the dreaming. Red road love moves you, going round and
round, not really going anywhere. But it appears to, but nothing is new.
Same ole', same ole' (or more lessons, the stepping stones to learning
about love). Must (talk) stay on the blue road. Walk the red road, then
the yellow road of dreams for everyone appears (wakan tanka or holy
walking and sacred talking). You must be willing to fight for love, not
fighting about what is separated or exchanged (intelligence). But if
love is present, distance matters not (heart).Thunder Roaring Stream: My phone is going to die Sister ... can we continue later today?
White Buffalo Calf Woman: Come share on hoop 3 (google group, red hoop), this will be a start. I will send a prayer for you today, right now (sacred song blessings above). If you fall off, then I will send to your email and you can get it later. Ready...
Thunder Roaring Stream: Aho Sister....
Black Elk Oglala Sioux Holy Man, 1863-1950 said, "You have noticed that everything as Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round..... The Sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours....even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of a man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves."
For more Native American quotes visit http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/quotes.html
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http://www.snowwowl.com/legends/lakota/lakota015.html and (white buffalo calf woman interprets as iyeshka)
A Lakota Legend
Long ago when the world was young, an old Lakota spiritual leader was on a high mountain and had a vision (there on top of the world and below the sky, the red road of color and the blue road of sound met together).
In his (her) vision, Iktomi, the great trickster and teacher of wisdom, appeared in the form of a spider (Grandmother Gray, dreamspace).
Iktomi (Grandmother Dreams) spoke to him in a sacred language that only the spiritual leaders of the Lakota could understand (Eldest souls of the Rainbow Clan, everything is all relatives, thus we are together known as the Rainbow Clan).
As he (she) spoke Iktomi, the spider, took the Elder's willow hoop (branch of an Elder who bows, completes and sows, willows of gold, each child finds it soaked) which had feathers (sacred soul flight), horse hair (soul streams upon), beads (many splendid colors of the rainbow) and offerings on it (treasures for everyone) and began to spin a web (a place to begin, dream space Grandmother did weave us all together, as she is the center of the great wheel of life).
He (She, Grandmother's cares, gray child aware, the eyes of sow very many smiles. He pertains to color as it streams.) spoke to the Elder about the cycles of life ... and how we begin our lives as infants and we move on to childhood, and then to adulthood. Finally, we go to old age where we must be taken care of as infants, completing the cycle (wheel of life and seasons of time).
"But," Iktomi said as he (she) 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 will hurt you and steer you in the wrong direction."
He (She) continued, "There are many forces and different directions that can help or interfere with the harmony of nature, and also with the great spirit and-all of his wonderful teachings."
All the while the spider spoke, he (she) continued to weave his (her) web starting from the outside and working toward the center.
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| Arc/Ark of the Covenant, the Rainbow Promise! |
He (She) said, "Use the web to help yourself and your people to reach your goals and make good use of your people's ideas, dreams and visions (spirals or journeys on the blue road with heavenly virtues, sharing responsibility of the clan. Come together in a circle, listen, validate and echo back. Become story tellers!).
"If you believe in the great spirit, the web will catch your good ideas -- and the bad ones will go through the hole (Stuck on the Red road with lessons or stepping stones, until you forgive and are able to use love and bow. This is the Law. One does gets stuck on the rainbow bridge and all it's awe, not really seaing/envisioning the tree of life, the circle that forms from the sun within. This inner sun, a light from within, heals and delivers us to the good red road, where paradise is happy and joyful in song and dance. Traditionally, the Objibwa and Sioux people tell the story, that the evil is captured, cleansed by the dew or breath of life - spiraling smoke or mingling of fire and water - and the good dreams flow through safely to the other side. This is the shore of your neighbor, the relative we learn to adore, when we bow, gift love, I stand presently. Lakota feels the winds blow from afar, relative at each door. Dakota touch all the shores, hears all the cheers. Nakota hold me near, joy will spill. Sioux stands, withstands and endures for the LAW of LOVE)."
The Lakota Elder passed on his vision to his people and now the Sioux Indians use the dream catcher as the web of their life. It is hung above their beds or in their home to sift (through) their dreams and visions.
The good in their dreams are captured in the web of life and carried with them (this would be on the blue road of heavenly virtue, wakan or walking holy)...but the evil in their dreams escapes through the hole in the center of the web (streaming red road, where the law of love leads us towards the sacred bow of the circle) and are no longer a part of them (This appears hidden, yet unresolved, only forgiveness can get us out of the loop of the red road and onto the true journey on the spiraling path of the soul on the blue road of heaven. This is also where the winds blows, the center flows, nine streams of the rainbow glows, all things are known. It's not always purified and we must attempt to be holy beings, blessing and giving thanks for all things asunder. Rainbow Warriors of Prophecy say, "I bless the sacred nine streams and holy four directions"for both fire and water, 8-12 times a day. For those who purify, walk and talk holy, the evil/impure/naughty flows through them, not harming them and offers them a wakan/holy buffalo robe/prayer cloth, that protects them. Traditionally, the Objibwa and Sioux people tell the story, that the evil is captured and the good dreams flow through. Someone at "snowwowl" has changed the story, to help the reader understand good and evil in the world. Also, the traditional Dream Catchers are only 3 to 5 inches across.)
They believe that the dream catcher holds the destiny of their lives (and the lives of everything that is relatives on the circle of life).
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There
is a song deep inside your heart, to feel the winds that are sharks
(deep dark blue of heavenly), we must only learn to bow once again. And
in the fields of dreams, we are children in the breeze, once we begin to
praise and shine a new daze. Come my relative let us shine, dance and
sing once again. Get your drum out and find you have wisdom once again.
Your heart knows where to start, dream to know your part. Thunder
Roaring Stream here, to show you how to be near, hear the song echo in
the wind? http://thunderroaringstream.blogspot.com
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Origin of the Dream Catcher
Today
dream catchers are made by Native
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| Traditional Spiraling Dream Catcher. Dark Hole. |
American artists from many Nations; a
great deal of people are under the impression that the
Lakota/Dakota/Nakota (called Sioux by others) originated the
dreamcatcher... There are many Native American stories and legends about
spiders and webs, but the Ojibwe (called Chippewa by others) originated
the dream catcher. A look at the long tradition of storytelling, oral
histories, passed down parent to child, generation after generation,
clears up any confusion about the origin of dream catchers.
Frances Densmore conducted an extensive study of material culture of the Ojibwe/Chippewa living in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada in the early 1900's and the information is presented in the book, Chippewa Customs, published by Minnesota Historical Society Press (St. Paul) in 1979. Densmore describes that articles representing spider webs were usually hung from the hoop of a child's cradle board, and it was said that 'they catch and hold everything evil as a spider's web catches and holds everything that comes into contact with it'. These 'dream catchers' were wooden hoops with a 3 1/2 in. diameter, filled with a web made of nettle-stalk cord that was dyed red with bloodroot and wild plum inner bark. It is interesting to note that the 'weave' of the dream catcher photographed in Densmore's work is different from that usually done today. By the early 1900's, dark red yarn had been substituted or plant fiber in constructing the web by the Ojibwe. Densmore also mentions a similar netted-hoop made by the Pawnee to represent the Spider-Woman, a spirit who controlled the buffalo.
The Ojibwa (and Sioux often intermarried), whose traditional homeland is around the Great Lakes region, have ancient stories about the dreamcatcher, how it 'came to be', why it is used, and how it should be made.
Frances Densmore conducted an extensive study of material culture of the Ojibwe/Chippewa living in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada in the early 1900's and the information is presented in the book, Chippewa Customs, published by Minnesota Historical Society Press (St. Paul) in 1979. Densmore describes that articles representing spider webs were usually hung from the hoop of a child's cradle board, and it was said that 'they catch and hold everything evil as a spider's web catches and holds everything that comes into contact with it'. These 'dream catchers' were wooden hoops with a 3 1/2 in. diameter, filled with a web made of nettle-stalk cord that was dyed red with bloodroot and wild plum inner bark. It is interesting to note that the 'weave' of the dream catcher photographed in Densmore's work is different from that usually done today. By the early 1900's, dark red yarn had been substituted or plant fiber in constructing the web by the Ojibwe. Densmore also mentions a similar netted-hoop made by the Pawnee to represent the Spider-Woman, a spirit who controlled the buffalo.
The Ojibwa (and Sioux often intermarried), whose traditional homeland is around the Great Lakes region, have ancient stories about the dreamcatcher, how it 'came to be', why it is used, and how it should be made.
FIRST origin of Dream Catchers
Image: Doorways to other worlds. Physical reminders
of instructions given to Native people by the spirits. “Mishomis” (Grandfather) gifts the stars that fly through.
Nov. 1, 1995 to the Native-l Listserver by Lyn Dearborn and (White Buffalo Calf Woman interprets as iyeshka).
Long ago in the ancient world of the Ojibwe Nation, the Clans were all located in one general area of that place known as Turtle Island. This is the way that the old Ojibwe storytellers say how Asibikaashi Spider Woman or Grandmother Gray) helped Wanabozhoo (original Anishinabe also known as Ojibway or Saulteaux) bring giizis (Sun) back to the people. To this day, Asibikaashi (Spider Woman or Grandmother Gray) will build her special lodge before dawn. If you are awake at dawn, as you should be (nourished by the rising sun, the Morning Star), 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 (heavenly sown, does Grandmother know). Asibikaasi (Spider Woman or Grandmother Gray) took care of her children, the people of the land, and she continues to do so to this day. When the Ojibwe Nation dispersed to the four corners of North America, to fill a prophecy, Asibikaashi (Spider Woman or Grandmother Gray) had a difficult time making her journey to all those cradle boards, so the Mothers, Sisters, and Nokomis (Grandmothers of age) took up the practice of weaving the magical webs for the new babies using willow hoops and sinew or cordage made from plants. It is in the shape of a circle to represent how giizis (sun) 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. You will see a small hole in the center of each dream catcher where those good bawadjige may come through (this is the red road, where Love rules all). With the first rays of sunlight (dew or water beams and fire streams), the bad dreams would perish (this is the purification process, blessings with the fire and water or the use of sage or smoke, the holy is together, the breath of life, like on a cold day, you can see your breath gift you a cloud of smoke).
When we see little asibikaashi (Spider Woman or Grandmother Gray), 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 8 for Spider Woman's eight legs (holy is the eight streams and one where you beam, sacred is the nine streams).
Long ago in the ancient world of the Ojibwe Nation, the Clans were all located in one general area of that place known as Turtle Island. This is the way that the old Ojibwe storytellers say how Asibikaashi Spider Woman or Grandmother Gray) helped Wanabozhoo (original Anishinabe also known as Ojibway or Saulteaux) bring giizis (Sun) back to the people. To this day, Asibikaashi (Spider Woman or Grandmother Gray) will build her special lodge before dawn. If you are awake at dawn, as you should be (nourished by the rising sun, the Morning Star), 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 (heavenly sown, does Grandmother know). Asibikaasi (Spider Woman or Grandmother Gray) took care of her children, the people of the land, and she continues to do so to this day. When the Ojibwe Nation dispersed to the four corners of North America, to fill a prophecy, Asibikaashi (Spider Woman or Grandmother Gray) had a difficult time making her journey to all those cradle boards, so the Mothers, Sisters, and Nokomis (Grandmothers of age) took up the practice of weaving the magical webs for the new babies using willow hoops and sinew or cordage made from plants. It is in the shape of a circle to represent how giizis (sun) 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. You will see a small hole in the center of each dream catcher where those good bawadjige may come through (this is the red road, where Love rules all). With the first rays of sunlight (dew or water beams and fire streams), the bad dreams would perish (this is the purification process, blessings with the fire and water or the use of sage or smoke, the holy is together, the breath of life, like on a cold day, you can see your breath gift you a cloud of smoke).
When we see little asibikaashi (Spider Woman or Grandmother Gray), 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 8 for Spider Woman's eight legs (holy is the eight streams and one where you beam, sacred is the nine streams).
Image: White Earth Ojibwe infant in a cradle board [Densmore 1979].
It was traditional to put a feather in the center of the dream catcher; it means breath, or air. It is essential for life. A baby watching the air playing with the feather on her cradleboard was entertained while also being given a lesson on the importance of good air. This lesson comes forward in the way that the feather of the owl is kept for wisdom (a woman's feather for darkness) and the eagle feather is kept for courage (a man's feather for lightness). This is not to say that the use of each is restricted by gender, but that to use the feather each is aware of the gender properties she/he is invoking. (Indian people, in general, are very specific about gender roles and identity.) The woven dream catchers of adults do not use feathers (nor are gemstones traditionally used for Dream catchers).
Structure of the Dream Catcher
Dream catchers made of willow and sinew are for children, and they are not meant to last. Eventually the willow dries out and the tension of the sinew collapses the dream catcher. That's supposed to happen. It belies the temporary-ness of youth. Adults should use dream catchers of woven fiber which is made up to reflect their adult "dreams." It is also customary in many parts of Canada and the Northeastern U.S. to have the dream catchers be a tear-drop/snow shoe shape.
The above story is a combination of information gathered by Lyn Dearborn, from California, and Mary Ritchie, of the Northern Woodlands, with assistance from Canadian elders. Miigwetch! Thanks also to Theresa and Aandek for the Ojibwe terms & translations for dream catchers on Rob's Ojibwe Bulletin Board! Thank you http://www.nativetech.org/dreamcat/dreamcat.html
It was traditional to put a feather in the center of the dream catcher; it means breath, or air. It is essential for life. A baby watching the air playing with the feather on her cradleboard was entertained while also being given a lesson on the importance of good air. This lesson comes forward in the way that the feather of the owl is kept for wisdom (a woman's feather for darkness) and the eagle feather is kept for courage (a man's feather for lightness). This is not to say that the use of each is restricted by gender, but that to use the feather each is aware of the gender properties she/he is invoking. (Indian people, in general, are very specific about gender roles and identity.) The woven dream catchers of adults do not use feathers (nor are gemstones traditionally used for Dream catchers).
Structure of the Dream Catcher
Dream catchers made of willow and sinew are for children, and they are not meant to last. Eventually the willow dries out and the tension of the sinew collapses the dream catcher. That's supposed to happen. It belies the temporary-ness of youth. Adults should use dream catchers of woven fiber which is made up to reflect their adult "dreams." It is also customary in many parts of Canada and the Northeastern U.S. to have the dream catchers be a tear-drop/snow shoe shape.
The above story is a combination of information gathered by Lyn Dearborn, from California, and Mary Ritchie, of the Northern Woodlands, with assistance from Canadian elders. Miigwetch! Thanks also to Theresa and Aandek for the Ojibwe terms & translations for dream catchers on Rob's Ojibwe Bulletin Board! Thank you http://www.nativetech.org/dreamcat/dreamcat.html
Ghost Walk (Sing, Dance, Gather) with us (where you are) each New Moon.
From the darkness we arise a heavenly child.
(2014, solar and lunar calender align, January 1, a cycle of renewal)
Pray With Elders around the World
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| The Two Row Wampum Belt |
