A BIT OF HISTORY

WHAT IS A DREAM CATCHER?

Dream catchers are among the most enduring and widespread symbols of Native American culture. They are believed to serve a protective purpose by acting as a filter, sending good dreams to the sleeper and the bad dreams away.
 

Dream catchers originated as an Ojibwe tradition. They are made with eight points where a web attaches to the hoop, a bit like the web made by a spider.

Symbolically, spiders represent energy, patience, wisdom, and learning. Over time, dream catchers were designed and adopted by many Native American Tribes.

IN NUN DE GO COG -

“PLACE OF THE EVERGREEN”

Written by Mary Skaret with assistance from Wanda McFaggon, Director of St. Croix Tribal Historical Preservation

The Anishinaabe (“Original people”) - St. Croix Band of Ojibwe nation were in the area starting in 1700’s. Originally they were part of the Algonquin nation on the east coast of North America. Oral history tells us the Ojibwe were told by a prophet that white settlers were coming and they needed to go west until they found food growing on the water. After several generations of travel they found wild rice and settled on Madeleine Island of Lake Superior with French fur trappers. From there they moved into northern Wisconsin and found the St. Croix Valley rich with resources.

The area was cooperatively shared by all that lived here but was not “owned” as known by the European/American immigrants. 

Tribal lands near Balsam Lake and trails through wooded areas offer a glimpse at the natural beauty of the region.