Iroquoian Dream Meanings

dream cult The Iroquois (Huron and Seneca) American Indians, as early as the 17th century (first European contact and study), had developed a deeper psychological un­derstanding than the white races of the time. They had no divinity but the dream—so wrote Father Fremin, who studied their customs. They clearly described the conscious and un­conscious, and said that through dreams the hidden or uncon­scious area of the psyche makes its desires known.

If it does not receive these desires it becomes angry.

The Iroquois there­fore developed a system of allowing the dreamer to act out their dreams socially. Although a moral and disciplined group, during such acting out the dreamer was allowed to go beyond usual social boundaries. This included receiving valu­able objects and making love to another person’s spouse. This was to allow unconscious desires to be expressed, thus avoid­ing sickness of body or mind. Such hidden desires were seen as the basis of social as well as individual problems.