Swampy Cree, East Cree and Ojibwe terms for spider, spiderweb and net charm

[Bill Jancewicz]

Hi, George

Our experience in Naskapi agrees with Kevin Brousseau's regarding the use of dreamcatchers. Lots of people make them to sell in the arts & craft shop, and the younger generation likes them to decorate with. But the elders do not attach any particular cultural significance to them.

"Spider" in Naskapi is ᑲᒥᒐᑎᒂᑕᑦ  kaamiihchaatikwaataat, but ᐊᐃᐱᒐᓱᐤ aahipiichaasuw is not unknown either.

Naskapi syllabic orthography does not mark vowel length, roman orthography does, with double vowels.

No "net charms" here either, except on items made for the tourist or home decorating trade.

Bill Jancewicz

On Apr 15, 2014, at 1:58 PM, g.fulford at ICLOUD.COM wrote:

> Hello All -
> 
> I am presently revising a paper on spiders and net charms that builds on Cath Oberholtzer’s 2012 book Dream Catchers: Legend, Lore and Artifacts (Richmond Hill ON, Firefly Books).  I seek your help in determining the correct terms for the Swampy Cree, East Cree and Ojibwe terms for spider, spiderweb and what Cath called “net charms” and what have come to be known as “dream catchers”.  Can you help?  Any dictionary or other published sources for these terms, together with the system you are using for transcription would be particularly helpful.
> 
> Kihchi miikwech!
> 
> George Fulford
> University of Winnipeg
> 



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