Native American Art

Totem PolesBy: Val Ilyukhina

History of Totem Poles•The word "totem" is derived from the

Algonkian word Dodem, originally meaning "to be related to someone" (i.e. someone who shares a family crest, or totem).

•Native American totem poles are an ancient tradition of the Indian tribes of the Pacific Northwest Coast--Washington state in the USA, British Columbia in Canada--and some of the Athabaskan tribes of southern Alaska.

•The designs on them are as varied as the tribes. •The poles may depict

•familiar legends,•clan lineages,•notable events, •illustrate stories, •commemorate historic persons, •represent shamanic powers, •objects of public ridicule.

•Some figures serve as symbolic reminders of quarrels, murder, and/or debt.

Totem Pole Designs

Did You Know?Comparable to putting a

newspaper full of notices on a place card in front of City Hall, the Shame Pole was used for public ridicule and was usually erected to shame individuals or groups for unpaid debts.

Vertical order of the images is believed to be a significant representation of importance...so important that "Low Man on the Totem Pole" has much less prestige and importance than the ones above. Having said that, there are poles where the more important images are at the bottom or in the middle.

Did You Know?

A totem pole is carved by a chief carver and apprentices. The lower part of the totem pole is the part most often looked at. To make sure the totem looks professional and well-executed, the chief carver personally carves the bottom ten feet of the pole...the inexperience apprentices carve the higher part.

Did You Know?

What do the symbols mean?

There are 5 different types of symbols:

AnimalsBirdsFishInsectsMiscellaneous Objects

Now It’s Your Turn!

Today, we will be making our own Totem Poles, to tell the story of the tribe you are working with.

1.Get with your group and decide on the story you want to tell2.Fill in your ideas on the graphic organizer3.Sketch out what you want your Totem Pole to look like4.Make the Totem Pole using art supplies

Information for this presentation was found at Native American Totem PolesTotem Pole Symbols

Resources and For Further Information

To find out more…Native American Totem Poles

Native American InventionsTotem Pole ExplorationNative American LegendsTotem Poles Past and PresentWikipedia- Totem Pole