Smoke Signals January 1993 Page 10

The jibwe The American Indian 0 The history of the Dream Catcher American Indian Horse is a long and colorful one. It is The Annishnabe or Ojibwe people, also known in i generally agreed by 4u$vtfiiva Wisconsin as the Chippewa, are known for their powers of historians that Spanish dreaming. They also have been referred to by other tribes as brought the horse to the New dreamers and have a religion called the Dream Dance and

World in the 1500s. "" their practitioners are referred to as Dream Dancers. A very ; - ,.0 ft J-"- The were a V li old and uniquely Ojibwe item has been created called the mixture of Barb, Arabian, dream catcher. It is said to be thousands ofyears old. It helps and Andulusian blood and Ojibwe and other American Indian people deal with life were considered the best through all types ofdreams. It's construction and philosophy horse in the world at the time. is unique and the maker puts thoughts of protection and live The horse was for family and friends into this product. indispensable to the conquest The dream catcher is usually made of wood bent ofMexicobyCortez. Indians i f'-rt- into a circle, then tied with sinew or buckskin. But anything rl v-.-i'- of that era had never seen 0 i .k can be used to tie the wood. The circle is then laced in a horses and to them the horse particular manner unique to the maker. The center is left and the rider team were open. The dream catcher swings freely in the air and catches godlike. To try and keep this dreams as they float by. Some range from a few inches in belief, it was illegal for some diameter to many feet across. Some are used for decorations 1., ijwmw". years for an Indian to ride a hJMr Ci in the home and have elaborate scenes on them. Dream horse, much less own one. catchers are usually tied to cradle boards or in the child's However, in time, with the 7 bedroom. fAm spread of the horse and the Ojibwe people believe the night is filled with dreams. Spanish ranchos, the Indian did this "big dog" Good dreams are thought to be perfect and precise and will acquire or They were better than anything the Cavalry could "God dog" for their own. The of the only pass through similar types of openings. Ojibwe people acquisition horse put up against them. Plains believe that dreams, both good and bad, can occur at any completely changes the Indians' way of life, The Indian horse has contributed to the making of them from time. The good dreams have a special relationship with transforming plodding pedestrians to nomadic a number of American breeds: the Morgan, the Quarter about Ojibwe people and a long time ago communicated to the hunters and warriors. The horse brought a culture Horse; the Saddlebred, the , and dreamer ways to protect the people who wanted to use good totally dependent upon themselves. more. Most of the Colour breeds trace their ancestry back to Before the coming of the the dreams to better themselves and their communities. Dreams horse, Indian tribes the Indian Horse-t- he Pain, , the , and had used dogs for carrying small portable shelters; after the educated the dreamer about the future , how to lead a good the Buckskin to name some. decorative life, what names to give to Indian people, etc. Good dreams horse arrived the shelters became large tipis. Frederic Remington artist and writer, said of the Hunting took a different form also. Before the horse informed the Ojibwe how to construct the dream catcher. on the horse in 1888 (HORSES OF THE PLAINS, Century to of over cliff. Thus, the good dreams are able to enter through the center primary way ofhunting was run a herd game a Magazine) "One thing is certain; of all the monuments the After the arrival of horse the could hunt from hole to the dreamer on the other side. the Indians Spaniard has left to glorify his reign in America, there will the for Most dreams come at night when people are sleeping. horseback choosing only most desirable targets their be none more worthy than his horses.. .the Spaniard's horses Bad dreams are thus associated with darkness and night. The prey. may be found today in countless thousands, from the city of bad dreams, not knowing the way, having odd shapes, and Horse stealingbctween the Tribes became thePIains' the Montezumas to the regions of perpetual snow; they are honored being imperfect become entagled in the web an will perish number one sport and was considered an way for a grafted into our equine wealth and make an important fame. Horses upon the approaching light of a new day. young warrior to gain experience and meant impression on the horse ofthe country. They have borne the wealth to Plains tribes and were used for barter and gifts -- Taken from Native Monthly Reader, by Kiana Beaudin the Moor, the Spanish conqueror, the Indian, the Mountain and John Beaudin extensively. Man, and the vaquero through all the glories of their Many religious ceremonies were based on the horse careers." and its contribution to the life of the Indian. One ofthe most American Indian Horse Registry, reprinted from "Twin interesting was the horse medicine cult practiced by most Light Trails" Plains tribes. The Oglala Lakota tribe has an elaborate horse medicine cult that included a dance imitation ofhorses. The Oglala useahorse medicine to influence the outcome of horse races, to cuiv sick and wounded horses, to calm a fractious brood-mare- s horse, and t make have fine foals. . Horse medicine meland women were among the most respected members of til Plains tribes. One oVhe most colorful episodes in the long career of the Indian Horse was gathering of the millions of wild Longhorn cattle (Ifthe Texas reanges after the War between 2 the States. They Ivam every river from Texas to Canada, enduring stampers, tornadoes, hailstorms, and freezing blizzards. They ditto all foraging grass and brush without grain, and they camwthrough it ready for more. And most Cultural Class Reminder ofthem weren't mueffiarger than the Longhorns they drove. Just a reminder that the Community Cultural Class The U.S. Cafelry found, in it's attempt to conquer for January will feature Oral Tradition. Classes are from 10 the Indian , that the cWy way to effectively control these A.M. to 2 P.M. on January 9 and January 16, at the Tribal people was to take theiiVnorses away from them. Repeated Community Center. instances of complete issacre of Indian horse herds is documented evidcnce--n- tte testimony to the toughness of this breed.

ft ."jL, I!. .