Many totem pole carvers have honed their skills since childhood, typically from watching their fathers and uncles carve from cedar wood.
After a tree is felled, the wood is debarked and shaped using implements such as adzes, axes, chisels, carving knives, and chainsaws. Other artists argue that technological innovation is an important part of cultural transformation and growth. After the wood is carved, some artists paint their poles, or choose to leave the pole unpainted. Many poles are coloured using synthetic paints, and some are painted with natural pigments derived from ground charcoal and ochre.
For a good visual reference of different totem pole styles, please refer to this photographic collection [PDF] produced by the Royal B. The cultural variations of totem pole styles are complex and go beyond the purview of this section, but a few generalizations can be made about regional characteristics. The Coast Salish of the Lower Fraser tended to carve house posts rather than single stand-alone poles.
These house posts would frequently appear on the interiors of longhouses. In the central coast, the Haida of Haida Gwaii and the Tsimshian carved towering totem poles, often reaching over feet tall, which were usually erected beside a longhouse. Coast Tsimshian poles often had horizontal line breaks between totem figures, while Haida poles had closely intertwined designs with a shallow relief. Despite the prominence of totem poles in the Pacific Northwest, there are some common misconceptions about the meaning and purpose of poles.
Some mistakenly believe that First Nations worshipped totem poles as idols or sacred objects that contained the souls of deities, or revered them as talismans that could ward off evil. This misconception may have been the result of cultural misunderstandings among Christian missionaries, who mistakenly believed totem poles were used in shamanistic rituals.
From their earliest origins to today, totem poles hold a significant socio-cultural role in many First Nations communities. Most First Nations commemorate the raising of a totem with a totem pole raising ceremony, which is often held concurrently with a feast or potlatch.
Please click here for a video of a totem pole raising ceremony at the University of Alaska Southeast. A killer whale, frog and beaver. Totem poles were originally carved by hand using sharpened stones, sea shells, bones or even beaver teeth! Today, totem poles are raised for crowds of hundreds of people in places of honour and First Nations villages. If you really want a totem pole, you can still have an artist carve you one. Better start saving your allowance money!
Have you heard the expression "low man on the totem pole? But traditionally, the bottom figure on a totem pole is the most important one. The head carver is in charge of this portion of the totem the bottom 10 feet since it is most visible and more detailed than the higher regions [source: Totem Poles: An Exploration ]. About a hundred years ago, the totem carving art form began to decline due to a couple of factors, including:. In the early 20th century, totem poles were stolen from their sites on reservations for private or museum use.
As a result, production nearly ceased. Very few totem poles were raised between and A grassroots effort of both native and non-native artists and scholars resurrected the art form, as well as the traditions that accompany the raising of a totem pole.
Today, totems are being carved and raised with a great resurgence. Thanks in large part to the efforts of their artists and scholarly supporters, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act was signed into law in by President George H. This law required museums and others in possession of improperly obtained totem poles, human remains and other American Indian artifacts to return them to their rightful owners.
It's entirely possible that totem pole production could have been extinguished had no one intervened to save the art form. But totem carving is a thriving art form once again, due to the efforts of those artists who recognized totems' importance in American Indian and North American history. Ever wondered what to give the person who already has everything? Next time you have this quandary, you may consider commissioning a custom totem pole. There seems to be no shortage of carvers in North America, although their price ranges and carving styles vary substantially.
Non-natives commission totems for a variety of reasons, including:. Inauthentic totem poles can be custom-made for less. To find a carver to create a custom totem to fit your needs, a simple Web search will give you dozens of options. Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar.
Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. Western Spirituality. How Totem Poles Work. Video Gallery: Chain Saws. Totem Pole Basics " ". The totem pole must be the work of a trained Pacific Coast carver. It must be raised according to specific American Indian traditions and ceremonies.
It must be blessed by natives of the Northwest Pacific Coast. Cracking the Code: Totem Pole Symbolism " ". Totem Pole Myths and Truths. Read More. Types of Totem Poles " ". Thomas D. Not So Bad After All. The Decline and Resurgence of Totem Poles " ". Wonderopolis Nov 25, Ariel Nov 24, Wonderopolis Nov 24, That's awesome to hear, Ariel! We're really glad you're our Wonder Friend! Garry Sep 3, I hate this piece of work it bores me out of my brain. Wonderopolis Sep 3, Garren mitchell Nov 7, Thanks for this.
It really helped me on my project!!! Wonderopolis Nov 7, Hi Garren! We are so glad that we could help! Sally May 13, I learned soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dhaitya Mar 22, I learned a lot that my brain is to fat. Apr 9, We're so glad that you're learning so much with us, Dhaitya! Wonderopolis May 13, Callum Jan 23, Hey Wonderoplis Thank you so much for teaching me this. Wonderopolis Jan 23, Hi there, Callum! Ashley Dec 4, Wonderopolis Dec 5, WOW I learned a lot from you guys I didn't know that the totem poles have a lot of different characters. Wonderopolis Oct 6, Thanks wonderopolis for a lot of info on totem poles.
Wonderopolis Oct 4, Jillian mc Dec 8, This was a wonderful wonder! I learned sooo much, including the many uses of totem poles. My brother was very surprised when I told him that I was learning about Native Americans and their culture of making totem poles. I did not know that the symbol of an eagle on a totem pole means peace.
Do you know if they ever carved dogs on their poles? It was great to learn about the Native Americans, because in class, we are also learning about them, their cultures, and resources.
Thank you for posting this wonder, it was fun to learn about this culture. Great job! Wonderopolis Dec 8, Mrs Caplin Dec 7, As I sit here tonight at home and read my class comments, I once again am so pleased with their new knowledge, transfer into their word study and writing and especially the extension of the school day.
I am positive some of "MC" students will be able answer the questions perhaps we can write a class blog post on my blog. Thanks from the teacher for reading and writing such marvelous comments-it makes all the learning worth while!!
Matthew MC Dec 7, Hi, I am Matthew from Mrs. Caplin's class. I thought that this wonder was interesting. I did not know that most totem poles were made of Western Red Cedar trees. I also learned about all the different kinds of faces on the totem poles, like the creators face and the Killer Whale, which represents strength in the tribe.
Also, thunderbird, beaver, bear, wolf and also the frog. It's interesting how each totem pole told a different story about their tribe. I also did not know that there was such thing as a shame pole and it was used to embarras or to make that person feel bad after they had done something wrong. I'm also wondering how the Indians carved into the totem poles. Also do you know how tall the tallest Totem Pole is? I also learned that totem poles are another way to record their history in that tribe.
Also, I learned that the different tribes would have different colors for the totem poles, depending where they live. Colin King - MC Dec 7, That was a great wonder! I learned so much about totem poles! One fact I learned was that they usually honor the dead.
I also learned that they can tell stories. It's so cool that one big piece of wood can resemble all these different interesting things! The video was especially cool because I learned about the designs that are common for totem poles! The designs are very interesting, like the one where it shows a man holding another man.
I also really liked the super tall one. I learned lots of new words today and lots of new facts. Thanks for the wonder!
Sara-MC Dec 7, Dear Wonderopolis, I really enjoyed this wonder. I knew that totem poles were wooden poles in which the Native Americans carved symbols and figures to represent their tribe or to represent a god or goddess.
It also just happened to be that we are learning about Native Americans and there cultures in class. Even though I new a lot about totem poles, this wonder still taught me something. I never new that they used totem poles to shame people if they did something wrong or to tell a story.
But I am still wondering If not, how many of them didn't and how many did? What symbols were usually used on the totem poles? This wonder was very intriguing. I hope you can answer my questions.
Wonderopolis Dec 7, This was a fantastic Wonder of the day that left me wanting to visit these places and see these amazing totem poles around the world. I think it is amazing that the people long ago could create such colorful and detailed sculptures.
In our Scholastic News, we learned about the Cherokee people trying to preserve their indigenous language. Totem Poles are a way for other tribes to preserve their culture.
I wonder why the animals on the totem pole are usually placed on top? I wonder what people of long ago used to carve the wood into a sculpture. In social studies class, we learned about the Alaskan Indians and how they used seals for floats. I wonder if these were also the same Indians that carve totem poles in Alaska. Harshitha MC Dec 7, Hi, I am Harshitha from Mrs. Today I learned many new facts about totem poles. We are also learning about the Native American Indians in social studies.
It's so interesting to learn about Native Americans. It's also new for me. I learned many new vocabulary words from this phenomenal wonder and I can add the new words into my word study spiral. Before I saw this cool wonder, I didn't know what a totem pole looks like and it looks cool.
I also saw the man's face on the eagle's body. I saw some faces have a beak instead of a nose, and I think the beak looks like a eagle's beak. Now I know that some Native Americans are great carvers. But, I still wonder that at the top of totem poles is always eagles carved.
Is it like a tradition to carve the eagles on top? Thanks for letting me know about totem poles and I am going to learn more in my school and in a wonder. Betty Vilenchuk Dec 7, Hi, my name is Betty, and I am from Mrs. Today I learned so many new facts that I don't even know what fact to start with. I also learned that totem poles don't only represent culture of the Native Americans, they show meaning of family and deceased people.
The s or s, maybe you can help me out. In social studies, we are learning about Native Americans, and one time we were doing a little activity. It was about Southern Americans and Northern Americans. There were flash cards and we had to sort them by the tribes. There was one question about totem poles and I barely new what they were. Now, because of this phenomenal wonder, I have 1, facts in my brain.
If we start talking about totem poles in social studies, I will have all this background knowledge in my head I will answer every single question. If I have time, I will try to do the the try it out! Srikar-MC Dec 7, Hi, this is Srikar from Mrs.
I never knew that there were so many different totem poles like the Genealogy, Memorial, Mortuary, and Shame totem poles.
I learned that totem poles tell stories or resemble important events. I saw the word indigenous in the text, and we did a Scholastic News about Cherokee kids trying to save there indigenous language. How many total Shame Poles are there? This Wonder was amazing. Lynn MC Dec 7, Hi, Wonderopolis! I thought that this wonder was very phenomenal. I learned many new things, like the symbols or carvings on the totem poles are not about gods, instead they are about traits and characteristics.
I also learned that the Native Americans make not only totem poles, but they also create shame poles to embarrass someone when they did something wrong. I think this is too bad that they did this. In school, we are learning about the Native American Indians, so I really connected to this wonder. I also learned that mortuary means a carved funeral pole by using context clues. Thanks so much for an awesome wonder!
Ryan-MC Dec 7, That is so cool! Now I can ask my parents "Do you know your genealogy? So now, if I was mad at someone and that sometimes happens I can draw a shame pole and glue a picture of their face to the top. I had NO idea that cultures would make shame poles to ridicule someone.
How many cultures made totem poles, anyway? All that I knew about totem poles is that they were really tall, tall poles! I used context clues to figure out "amend" had something to do with making up for a mistake. Go, Wonderopolis!
SamiaMC Dec 7, Hi, I'm Samia from Mrs. In this wonder, I learned there are many different types of totem poles such as genealogy poles, memorial poles and mortuary poles.
I also learned that black was the most common color used on totem poles. I was wondering, are black, red and blue-green the only colors used on totem poles? If not, then what other colors are used on totem poles? Another interesting fact I learned was that some totem poles represent stories or important events. That's very interesting. I was wondering, do you know any of the stories or important events? I already knew that totem poles represented things, but I had no idea what they represented.
This wonder taught me that the raven was a symbol of The Creator, the eagle represented peace and friendship, and the killer whale is a symbol of strength. This wonder was really interesting and I liked it a lot. Haley MC Dec 7, This is Haley from Mrs. Caplin's class! This wonder was phenomenal! I learned about totem poles at school in social studies, so I knew some of the extraordinary facts. I learned that each figure on the totem pole means something that represents their tribe.
I think different Indian tribes used totem poles to record the history and legends of their tribe. It was interesting that the totem poles represent stories or valuable events. Context clues helped me comprehend the story, because I did not know the meaning of the word genealogy. Now I know it is the study of your heritage. I noticed in the video, all the sculptures had a eagle on their heads. Does that mean they were the leader? I also am wondering, if the people on the totem poles emotions on their faces have something to do with what it represents?
This was an incredible wonder!! McKenna MC Dec 7, Hi, this is McKenna from Mrs. This Wonder was astonishing! I learned so many new, interesting facts about totem poles. Right now in social studies, we are learning about the Northwest Native Americans and the Native Americans of the Plains. In class, we found out that since there are more trees and wildlife in the Northwest, that the Indians will have more totem poles because of all the big trees and resources that they can use.
Some of the things I learned are that totem poles symbolize stories or important events I thought that it represented the object that Native Americans worship. The second thing I learned was that totem poles can represent anything from social statuses to death to shame.
I was just WONDERing if when you are presented the pole of shame, would they put it in front of your house and let you keep it so you remain embarrassed of your sin? The third new fact that I learned was that not only do totem poles symbolize indigenous stories, but the figures on them give a different mood in the story. Tomorrow, when my class opens the wall for social studies, I will have a lot of background knowledge about how the Native Americans used their resources to construct totem poles and what the symbols mean on them.
Lastly I have a few questions. What tribe created the first totem pole? Are there more than just four types of totem poles? Leah MC Dec 7, I liked in the video seeing all the different totem poles from all over showing and telling me that not all totem poles are alike and that not all totem poles are all animals or people, and, in fact, I saw a totem pole that was a animal and a human.
If there are totem poles like all that, I wonder if they have some that show the weather like a sun? Before seeing this wonder, I always thought that totem poles where in a cold climate place because when I was little, I watched the movie Balto and there was a big totem pole I always thought the faces were too scary for a kids movie so I would shut my eyes when that part came up- but then I was little!
But, after seeing the video and reading the wonder, I now know that totem poles can be anywhere. I thought that it was super duper cool that your wonder was about Native Americans, because in Social Studies, we're talking about just that, so when I read the Wonder, it was a bit easier for me to understand some of the big words in it like indigenous, because we already discussed it in school. When I was reading this wonder, I found it just absolutely phenomenal that you knew and could explain what different symbols on the totem poles meant- like for example how you knew that the eagle represents peace and friendship.
How do you know this stuff? You must do A LOT of research before making a wonder. I guess I knew that the Native Americans didn't have paint just in a bucket or go to the local Wal-Mart to get it, but I never thought about how they had to use pigments from berries and charcoal and all their other natural resources, as well.
Well you made me wonder. Now I'm going to have you wonder. I'm just wondering since you know almost everything. Do you know when and where the first totem pole was made? Thanks so much! I learned a lot, so thanks a lot!
0コメント