Dream Culture

“If the dreamer believes the dream interpretations are helpful, they pay the interpreter a forfeit.” By forfeit No face means a gift or favour, this is seen as creating a bond of friendship between the dreamer and the interpreter.

Although often serious and of spiritual significance, the dream interpretation rituals of the Iroquois are also a time to play as dream guessing motivates tribal members to challenge each other.

The hands of No face move in many directions as he illustrates what happens next; “The desire to receive attention for one’s dreams is often intense; some dreamers sing, shout and dance, demanding that their dreams are next guessed!

Sometimes, the Iroquois pantomine their dreams, or describe them in a diguised fashion, requesting the neighbours guess the content of the dream and then satisfy the dreamer’s desire in order to restore wholeness.”

Not only does the whole ritual of dreams in this culture seem fascinating but also very energetic.  However one subject which had not been touched upon was dream catchers. Many people from a wide range of cultures have round wooden cirlces with beads and threads which resemble a spider’s web and different coloured feathers hanging over their bed, but what significance do they hold to the native americans?

According to Indians of the Eastern woodlands in America, the dream catcher captures all dreams, good and bad and protect the dreamer from nightmares. No face suggests what the tribe’s beliefs are in dream catchers. He says:

“Although dream catchers did not orginate with the Iroquois tribe, they were first used by the Chippewa of the Ojibway. It has been told by the old ones that dreams hold great power and drift about at night before coming to the sleeping ones.

To keep the dreamer safe, the old ones created a special web, the dream catcher to hang above their sleeping places. The bad dreams are suppose to loose their way and become entangled and disappear with the first rays of day break. The good dreams pass through the centre of the dream catcher and make their way to the sleeping one.                         

We believe they help improve one’s dream life.”                                     

 After No face’s spellbinding stories about what the dream world means to his heritage, it is clear that Native Americans cherish dreams and treat them with honour and respect. As a result it is apparent that these vital elements enhance the Natives waking life, both in tradition and in the modern world.