3/25/2019
Whoamidreamcatcher - Google Docs
Before creating our dreamcatchers, we wanted to learn about them and their cultural background as much as possible. We did this in an attempt to set our dreamcatchers apart from those that are exploitive of Ojibwe culture. By learning about the culture, we attempted to make them more authentic and personal. We spoke to a representative of the American Indian Center who told us about the purpose of a dreamcatcher. Dreamcatchers are temporary, and they only stay with you during the early stages of life. They should be very symbolic and you should have a personal connection with the one made for you. We also learned that nobody should ever make a dreamcatcher for themself, which we unfortunately did anyway. There is one main aspect to my dreamcatcher that I think makes it authentic. Just like the Ojibwe would have done, my dreamcatcher is made of entirely found items. Not only is this keeping my dreamcatcher authentic, but it also makes it more meaningful to me. To construct my dreamcatcher, I used wire, duct tape, embroidery thread, a dog vaccination tag, and some cigarette butts. To symbolize the bad elements, what I would like to filter out and keep away from my dreams, I chose cigarette butts. Most of my bad dreams revolve around some sort of social interaction or expectation that I did not fulfill. This may seem very mild, but it leaves me in an anxious and overall bad mood when I wake up, so I would like to filter those types of dreams out. To me, discarded cigarette butts represent several of the problems with humans. First, they represent the lack of care people have for their surroundings and environment. Second, they represent how prone people are to bad habits. Third, they represent a general lack of consideration and carelessness. To represent the good things I would like to allow to pass through, I chose yellow embroidery thread. For a while, I have been collecting sticky notes that I find with people’s names, phone numbers, and addresses on them that have been dropped. To me, this represents positive human
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3/25/2019
Whoamidreamcatcher - Google Docs
connection, as I know that at any moment I could contact any of these people if I wanted to. I chose yellow embroidery thread because most of this information I find is on yellow sticky notes. The middle of my dreamcatcher, the great mystery, is an expired dog vaccination tag. The great mystery is supposed to be representative of the force that drives you as an individual. I chose this because I believe when I find things like this I am captivated, and it really drives me to keep looking deeper into life’s details. My dreamcatcher is far from the most attractive there is. However, I think that this makes it better. Rather than using store bought items to construct a meaningless but pretty trinket, I think my personal choice of materials was truer to traditions and more effective. If done correctly, my dreamcatcher will filter unwanted elements of dreams away from the my subconscious as I sleep. If I hadn’t used materials that were personal to me, I think that my dreamcatcher would be far less effective in filtering out elements that I find to be bad. Citations: “Ojibwe Dreamcatcher Legend.” WERNATIVE, We R Native, www.wernative.org/articles/ojibwe-dreamcatcher-legend. “DIY Tutorial: How to Make a Dreamcatcher.” The Journey Junkie, The Journey Junkie, 11 Mar. 2019, www.thejourneyjunkie.com/life/how-to-make-a-dreamcatcher/. Shabi, K. “Dreamcatcher Meaning: History, Legend & Origins of Dream Catchers.” LEGOMENON, Legomenon Online Literary Journal & Magazine, 14 July 2016, legomenon.com/dreamcatcher-meaning-legend-history-origins.html. “The Ojibwe Native Americans.” The Ojibwe Native Americans - Traditions, ojibwenativeamericans.weebly.com/traditions.html.
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