Those of you familiar with Native American lore might recognize this image. It is called a Dreamcatcher.



There are many variations to the legend of the dreamcatcher, one of which mentions a great spiritual leader who roamed the earth back when the world was young. One day this leader was on a high mountain, where he had a vision. In his vision, a powerful spirit who was a great teacher of wisdom appeared in the form of a spider. The spirit spoke to him in a sacred language. As he spoke, the spirit spider picked up the elder's willow hoop which had feathers, horsehair beads, and offerings on it. He began to spin a web on the hoop as he spoke to the elder about the cycles of life; how we begin our lives as infants, move on through childhood, and on to adulthood. Finally, we go to old age where we must be taken care of as infants, completing the cycle. "But," said the spirit as he continued to spin, "in each time of life there are many forces - some good and some bad. If you listen to the good forces, they will steer you in the right direction. But if you listen to the bad forces, they'll steer you in the wrong direction and may hurt you. So these forces can help, or they can interfere with the harmony of nature." While the spirit finished speaking, he gave the elder the web and said, "This web is a perfect circle, with a hole in the center. Use the web to help your people reach their goals, making good use of their ideas, dreams, and visions. If you believe in the Great Spirit, the web will catch your good ideas and the bad ones will go through the hole." The elder passed on his vision to the people, and for generations, many Native American people hung a dreamcatcher above their bed to sift their dreams and visions. The good was thought to be captured on the web of life and carried with the people, while the evil in their dreams went through the hole in the center and did not become part of their lives.

I like this dreamcatcher symbol, not only because it is strikingly familiar to our drum-and-feather symbol, but also because its story parallel's our current situation. Here we are, at the infancy of a new football season - full of hope and dreams of tremendous promise. But what will come of these dreams as they mature? Will strife arise from failed expectations? Or will success breed the kind of arrogance we have long found disdainful in others? Therefore, I am solemly placing this dreamcatcher over our little forum, with the hope that our dreams may come to fruition, while the potential "evils" are filtered away.

Enjoy the moment, with respect for the past, and above all...

GO UTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!