It is believed that dream catchers originated with Asibaikaashi, who was known as the Spider Woman. She was a custodian of all of the Ojibwe infants and adults. However, in time it became a difficult task for her to take care of all of the Ojibwe people as they started … (read more)

It is believed that dream catchers originated with Asibaikaashi, who was known as the Spider Woman. She was a custodian of all of the Ojibwe infants and adults. However, in time it became a difficult task for her to take care of all of the Ojibwe people as they started spreading out across different regions of North America.

To help, the Ojibwe women started weaving magical webs for the infants. They used willow hoops and sinew to weave them, and they gifted them to the Ojibwe children as a medium of protection. These charms hung above the children's beds to catch any bad dreams or other harm that might be present.