A sleepless night can be a real nightmare.
For some, a dreamcatcher is the solution.
Today at Aurora’s Martin Luther King Jr. Library, kids and parents can work together to build their own American Indian dreamcatcher.
According to Ojibwa legend, the web-shaped charms can be hung above a bed to prevent bad dreams.
“They’re meant to catch the bad dreams while the good dreams pass through the center hole,” Betsy Baxendale, north region coordinator for the Aurora Public Library, says of the popular tribal symbols.
Despite the fact that dreamcatchers have become trendy enough that it’s common to see them hanging in living rooms or from rearview mirrors, not all American Indians appreciate this appropriation.
“The dreamcatcher’s origins are not as old as some people think,” Baxendale says. “They originated in the Ojibwa nation, also known as the Chippewa, during the Pan-Indian movement of the ’60s and ’70s.”
The craft quickly spread to other tribes, she adds.
“Dreamcatchers became a symbol of unity between the different nations,” Baxendale says. “Now some reject them as being too commercialized.”
Authentic American Indian dreamcatchers typically use bent willow twigs for the frame and sinew for the web, with perhaps a feather or bead tied into the design. During today’s craft session, the library will substitute yarn for the sinew and provide beads for decoration. Participants also are encouraged to bring along their own embellishments.
The event was planned to honor November’s National American Indian Heritage month.
“We are located in such a multicultural area of Aurora,” Baxendale says. “We try to plan programs to expose children to different cultures than (their) own.”
Make a dreamcatcher
When: The craft program begins at 2 p.m. today
Where: Martin Luther King Jr. Library, 9898 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora
Details: Free. Recommended for children ages 5-12. Register by calling 303-739-1940 or online at .
