Dreamcatchers were originally made by the Native Americans. Although there are many versions produced by companies, the best way to get an original and authentic one is to buy from a Native American themselves, perhaps at a pow wow ceremony.

The legend behind the dreamcatcher is that they are believed to catch and preserve dreams. Native Americans of the Great Plains believed that the air is filled with good and bad dreams. The dreamcatchers are given to people who are cherished so that good dreams will follow them all their lives. It is believed that the woven web will catch your dreams in the night. The bad spirit dreams become tangled in the web and  disappear in the morning sun.  However, the good spirit dreams will sift through the center hole of the web
and float down the sacred feathers to bless the sleeping one with trouble free dreams.

Traditionally, the dreamcatchers were hung in the tipi or lodge and on a baby’s cradle board. But more modernly, they are hung in the doorway of the bedrooms.

The legend varies slightly from tribe to tribe, but all focus around this main point. Some believe that the dreamcatcher only works if made from supplies harvested from the earth, and not man-made items such as plastic. This is why it is probably better to get yours from places such as a pow wow or reservation rather than a mass-marketing store. But whether you want it to work and free you of your bad dreams or just want one for decoration is up to you!