Native American Legends
Dreamcatcher
A Lakota Legend
Long ago when the world was young, an old Lakota spiritual leader
was on a high mountain and had a vision.
In his vision, Iktomi, the great trickster and teacher of wisdom,
appeared in the form of a spider.
Iktomi spoke to him in a sacred language that only the spiritual
leaders of the Lakota could understand.
As he spoke Iktomi, the spider, took the elder's willow hoop which
had feathers, horse hair, beads and offerings on it and began to
spin a web.
He 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.
"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 will hurt you
and steer you in the wrong direction."
He 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 continued to weave his web starting
from the outside and working toward the center.
When Iktomi finished speaking, he gave the Lakota elder the web
and said..."See, the web is a perfect circle but there is a
hole in the center of the circle."
He 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.
"If you believe in the great spirit, the web will catch your
good ideas -- and the bad ones will go through the hole."
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 their dreams
and visions.
The good in their dreams are captured in the web of life and carried
with them...but the evil in their dreams escapes through the hole
in the center of the web and are no longer a part of them.
They believe that the dream catcher holds the destiny of their
lives.
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