Totem pole
Totem poles are monumental sculptures carved from large trees, mostly Western Red Cedar, by cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. The word totem is derived from the Ojibwe word odoodem, "his kinship group".
History
Being made of cedar, which decays eventually in the rainforest environment of the Northwest Coast, few examples of poles carved before 1900 exist. Noteworthy examples include those at the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, BC and the Museum of Anthropology at UBC in Vancouver, BC, dating as far back as 1880. And, while 18th century accounts of European explorers along the coast indicate that poles certainly existed prior to 1800, they were smaller and few in number. In all likelihood, the freestanding poles seen by the first European explorers were preceded by a long history of monumental carving, particularly interior house posts. Eddie Malin has proposed that totem poles progressed from house posts, funerary containers, and memorial markers into symbols of clan and family wealth and prestige. He argues that pole construction centered around the Haida people of the Queen Charlotte Islands, from whence it spread outward to the Tsimshian and Tlingit, and then down the coast to the tribes of British Columbia and northern Washington. This is supported by the photographic history of the Northwest Coast and the deeper sophistication of Haida poles. The regional stylistic differences between poles would then be due not to a change in style over time, but to application of existing regional artistic styles to a new medium. Early-20th-century theories, such as those of the anthropologist Marius Barbeau who considered the poles an entirely post-contact phenomenon made possible by the introduction of metal tools, were treated with skepticism at the time and are now discredited [citation needed].
The disruptions following American and European trade and settlement first led to a flowering and then to a decline in the cultures and totem pole carving. The widespread importation of iron and steel tools from Britain, the United States and China led to much more rapid and accurate production of carved wooden goods, including poles. It is not certain whether iron tools were actually introduced by traders, or whether iron tools were already produced aboriginally from drift iron recovered from shipwrecks; nevertheless the presence of trading vessels and exploration ships simplified the acquisition of iron tools whose use greatly enhanced totem pole construction. The Maritime Fur Trade gave rise to a tremendous
accumulation of wealth among the coastal peoples, and much of this wealth was spent and distributed in lavish potlatches frequently associated with the construction and erection of totem poles. Poles were commissioned by many wealthy leaders to represent their social status and the importance of their families and clans. By the 19th century certain Christian missionaries reviled the totem pole as an object of heathen worship and urged converts to cease production and destroy existing poles. Totem pole construction underwent a dramatic decline at the end of the 19th century due to American and Canadian policies and practices of acculturation and assimilation. In the mid-20th century a combination of cultural, linguistic, and artistic revival along with intense scholarly scrutiny and the continuing fascination and support of an educated and empathetic public led to a renewal and extension of this moribund artistic tradition. Freshly-carved totem poles are being erected up and down the coast. Related artistic production is pouring forth in many new and traditional media, ranging from tourist trinkets to masterful works in wood, stone, blown and etched glass, and many other traditional and non-traditional media.
Today a number of successful native artists carve totem poles on commission, usually taking the opportunity to educate apprentices in the demanding art of traditional carving and its concomitant joinery. Such modern poles are almost always executed in traditional styles, although some artists have felt free to include modern subject matter or use nontraditional styles in their execution. The commission for a modern pole ranges in the tens of thousands of dollars; the time spent carving after initial designs are completed usually lasts about a year, so the commission essentially functions as the artist's primary means of income during the period. Totem poles take about 6–12 months to complete.
Meaning and purpose
The meanings of the designs on totem poles are as varied as the cultures that make them. Totem poles may recount familiar legends, clan lineages, or notable events. Some poles celebrate cultural beliefs, but others are mostly artistic presentations. Certain types of totem poles are part of mortuary structures, and incorporate grave boxes with carved supporting poles, or recessed backs for grave boxes. Poles illustrate stories that commemorate historic persons, represent shamanic powers, or provide objects of public ridicule. "Some of the figures on the poles constitute symbolic reminders of quarrels, murders, debts, and other unpleasant occurrences about which the Native Americans prefer to remain silent... The most widely known tales, like those of the exploits of Raven and of Kats who married the bear woman, are familiar to almost every native of
the area. Carvings which symbolize these tales are sufficiently conventionalized to be readily recognizable even by persons whose lineage did not recount them as their own legendary history." (Reed 2003). House front poles were meant to show the success of the families.
Totem poles were never objects of worship. The association with "idol worship" was an idea from local Christian missionaries, who would have seen their association with Shamanism as being an occult practice. The same assumption was made by very early European explorers, but later explorers such as Jean-François de La Pérouse noted that totem poles were never treated reverently; they seemed only occasionally to generate allusions or illustrate stories and were usually left to rot in place when people abandoned a village.
Vertical order of images is widely believed to be a significant representation of importance. This idea is so pervasive that it has entered into common parlance with the phrase "low man on the totem pole." This phrase is indicative of the most common belief of ordering importance, that the higher figures on the pole are more important or prestigious. A counterargument frequently heard is that figures are arranged in a "reverse hierarchy" style, with the most important representations being on the bottom, and the least important being on top. Actually there have never been any restrictions on vertical order[citation needed], many poles have significant figures on the top, others on the bottom, and some in the middle. Other poles have no vertical arrangement at all, consisting of a lone figure atop an undecorated column.
Shame poles
Poles used for public ridicule are usually called "shame poles", and were erected to shame individuals or groups for unpaid debts. Shame poles are rarely discussed today, and their meanings have been forgotten in many places. However, they formed an important subset of poles carved throughout the 19th century.
One famous shame pole is the Seward Pole in Saxman, Alaska. It was apparently created to shame the former U.S. Secretary of State for not repaying a Potlatch to the Tlingit people. On this particular pole, it is apparent that it is a shame pole because his nose and ears are painted red, indicating his stinginess. It is a common misconception that the Lincoln pole, also located in Saxman, is also a shame pole but was actually erected to commemorate the U.S Revenue Cutter Lincoln in its role in helping two rival Tlingit clans establish peace.
Another example of the shame pole is the Three Frogs Pole in Wrangell, Alaska. This pole was erected by Chief Shakes to shame the Kiks.ádi clan into repaying a debt incurred by three of their slaves who impregnated some young women in Shakes's clan. When the Kiks.ádi leaders refused to pay support for the illegitimate children Shakes had the pole commissioned to represent the three slaves as frogs, the frog being the primary crest of the Kiks.ádi clan. This debt was never repaid, and thus the pole still stands next to the Chief Shakes Tribal House in Wrangell. This particular pole's unique crossbar shape has become popularly associated with the town of Wrangell. It was thus used, without recognizing the meaning of the pole, as part of the title design of the Wrangell Sentinel newspaper, where it is still seen today.
A pole in Totem Square, in downtown Sitka, Alaska, designed by George Benson and carved by CCC workers in Wrangell in 1942, depicted Russian governor and Russian American Company manager, Alexander Baranof naked. After a Sitka Tribe of Alaska-sponsored removal ceremony, the pole was lowered on October 20th, 2010 with funds from the Alaska Dept. of Health and Social Services due to safety concerns. The Sitka Sentinel reported that it was "said to be the most photographed totem [pole] in Alaska" while standing. A Shame pole was erected in Cordova, Alaska on March 24, 2007. It includes the inverted and distorted face of Exxon ex-CEO Lee Raymond, representing the unpaid debt that courts determined Exxon owes for having caused the oil spill in Valdez, Alaska.
Construction and maintenance
Erection of a totem pole is almost never done using modern methods, even for poles installed in modern settings on the outside of public and private buildings. Instead, the traditional ceremony and process of erection is still followed scrupulously by most artists, in that a great wooden scaffold is built, and hundreds of strong men haul the pole upright into its footing, while others steady the pole from side ropes and brace it with cross beams. Once the pole is completed, a potlatch is typically held where the carver is formally paid and other traditional activities are conducted. The carver will usually, once the pole is freestanding, perform a celebratory and propitiatory dance next to the pole while wielding the tools used to carve it. Also, the base of the pole is burnt before erection to provide a sort of rot resistance.
Totem poles are typically not well maintained after their erection. Traditionally once the wood rots so badly that it begins to lean and pose a threat to passersby, the pole is either destroyed or pushed
over and removed. Older poles typically fall over during the winter storms that batter the coast. A totem pole rarely lasts over 100 years. A collapsed pole may be replaced by a new one carved more or less the same as the original, with the same subject matter, but this requires a new payment and potlatch and is thus not always done. The beliefs behind the lack of maintenance vary among individuals, but generally it is believed that the deterioration of the pole is representative of natural processes of decay and death that occur with all living things, and attempts to prevent this are seen as somehow denying or ignoring the nature of the world.
This has not, however, prevented many people from occasionally renewing the paint on poles or performing further restorations, mostly because the expense of a new pole is beyond feasibility for the owner. Also, owners of poles who are not familiar with cultural traditions may see upkeep as a necessary investment for property, and ignore the philosophical implications.
Property
Each culture typically has complex rules and customs regarding designs represented on poles. The designs themselves are generally considered the property of a particular clan or family group, and this ownership may not be transferred to the owner of a pole. As such, pictures, paintings, and other copies of the designs are often seen as an infringement of possessory rights of a certain family or cultural group. Many Native artists, Native organizations and Native governments note that the ownership of the artistic designs represented on a pole should be respected as private property to the same extent that the pole itself is property, and request that public display and sale of pictures and other representations of totem pole designs should be cleared with both the owners of the pole and the cultural group or tribal government associated with the designs on the pole.
However totem poles in general are not the exclusive cultural property of a single culture, so the designs are not easily protected. The appropriation by art and tourist trinket worlds of Northwest Coast American culture has resulted in, among other things, an inundation of cheap imitations of totem poles executed with little or no knowledge of the complex stylistic conventions demanded by Northwest Coast art. These include imitation styles made by other First Nations and Native American peoples in the various parts of Canada and the American Southwest. This proliferation of "totem junk" has diluted the public interest and respect for the artistic skill and deep cultural knowledge required to produce a pole.
In the early 1990s, the Haisla First Nation of the Pacific Northwest began a lengthy struggle to repatriate a sacred totem from Sweden's Museum of Ethnography. Their successful efforts were documented in a NFB documentary by Gil Cardinal, Totem: The Return of the G'psgolox Pole.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totem_pole
A totem can be the symbol of a tribe, clan, family or individual. Native American tradition provides that each individual is connected with nine different animals that will accompany each person through life, acting as guides. Different animal guides come in and out of our lives depending on the direction that we are headed and the tasks that need to be completed along our journey. Native beliefs further explain that a totem animal is one that is with you for life, both in the physical and spiritual world. Though people may identify with different animal guides throughout their lifetimes, it is this one totem animal that acts as the main guardian spirit. With this one animal a connection is shared, either through interest in the animal, characteristics, dreams, or other interaction.This Animal Guide offers power and wisdom to the individual when they "communicate” with it, conveying their respect and trust. This does not necessarily mean that you actually pet or spend time with this animal, more that you are open to learning its lessons. For some, knowing what is their totem animal is almost an innate process. It’s as if they’ve always known, inexplicably drawn to the animal or having a special feeling for the animal’s energy. For others, they wonder how to tell what their animal totem is.
Here are some questions to ask yourself if you’re wondering what your animal totem is:
Have you ever felt drawn to one animal or another without being able to explain why? This could be animal, including birds and insects.
Does a certain kind of animal consistently appear in your life? This doesn’t necessarily have to be a physical appearance, it could be represented in other ways such as receiving card and letters with the same animal pictured over and over, unexplainable dreams of a particular animal, watching television and seeing the same animal featured time and time again, or, actually having the animal show up.
When you go to the zoo, a park, wildlife area, or forest, what are you most interested in seeing? Are there any animals that you find to be extremely frightening or intriguing? Is there a particular animal that you see frequently when you’re out in nature? Have you ever been bitten or attacked by an animal? Have you ever had a recurring dream about a certain animal, or a dream from childhood that you
have never been able to forget? Are you drawn to figurines or paintings of a specific animal?
The totem itself is a symbol that represents this animal. This could be any number of items - a crest, a totem pole, an emblem, a small figurine or anything else that depicts your animal guide. Note: Native American totems did not include all of the animals listed below, as many of these creatures did not existed in North America. However; the concept of "totems," by whatever name they were called, have been known throughout the world since the earliest days of Greek Mythology. Though the unicorn is generally accepted as a centuries old mythical creature of Europeans, pictures of this fabled animal have been found in Native American tapestries and pictographs
Animal Characteristics & Meaning
Alligator Maternal, revenge oriented, quickness, aggression, and basic survival instincts.
Ant Group minded, determination, patient, active, and industrious
Anteater Lethargy, curiosity, nosiness.
Antelope Active, agile, jumpiness, and willing to sacrifice
Armadillo Safety oriented, grounded, and has boundaries
Badger Courage, aggressive, healer, having problems relating to others, and energy conduit
Bat Rebirth, longevity, secrecy, initiation, good listener, and long life
Bear Industrious, instinctive, healing, power, sovereignty, guardian of the world, watcher, courage, will power, self-preservation, introspection, and great strength.
Beaver Determined, strong-willed, builder, overseer, and protector
Bee Organized, industrial, productive, wise, community, celebration, fertility, defensiveness, obsessive nature, and enjoys life
Boar/Pig A very powerful totem - prosperity, spiritual strength, organized, self-reliant, fearless.
Buffalo Sacredness, life, great strength, abundance, gratitude.
Bull Insight into the past, fertility, rushing into things without proper preparation.
Butterfly Metamorphosis, transformation, balnace, grace, ability to accept change
Camel Survival, positive, accomplishments
Caribou Traveler, mobility, preference to be nomadic, adaptability to adversity
Cat Guardianship, detachment, sensuality, mystery, magic, and independence
Cheetah Swiftness, insight, focus
Cougar Leadership, loyalty, courage, taking responsibility, foresight
Cow Swift, insightful, and focused
Coyote Trickster, intelligence, stealth, wisdom and folley, guile and innocence
Cobra Swift and decisive
Crab Good luck, protection and success
Crane Solitude, justice, longevity, independent, intelligent, and vigilant
Crocodile Ensuring your emotions are displayed accurately/appropriately
Crow Justice, shape shifting, change, creativity, spiritual strength, energy, community sharing, and balance
Deer Compassion, peace, intellectual, gentle, caring, kind, subtlety, gracefulness, femininity, gentleness, innocence, and seller of adventure
Dog Noble, faithful, loyal, teaching, protection, and guidance
Dolphin Kind, salvation, wisdom, happiness, playfulness, prudent, capable of deep emotion, and happy.
Dove Cross-world communication, spirit messenger, peace, gentleness, love
Dragon Longevity, richness, prosperity, infinity, wisdom, power, and fiery
Dragonfly Flighty and carefree, strong imagination, higher aspirations.
Duck Water energy, helper of seers, can clearly see/deal with emotions
EagleDivine spirit, sacrifice, connection to creator, intelligence, renewal, courage, illumination of spirit, healing, creation, freedom, and risk-taker
Elephant Strength, power, affection, loyalty, royalty, and wisdom
Elk Strength and agility, pride, majestic, independence, purification, strength, and nobility
Falcon New beginnings, adventure, passionate, and leadership.
Fish Graceful, slyness, open-minded, quick to change one's mind.
Flamingo Heart healing, psychic, people person, flirtatious.
Fox Cunning, agility, quick-witted, diplomacy, wildness, feminine magic of camouflage, shapeshifting and invisibility
Frog Water energy, cleansing, rebirth, sensitivity, medicine, hidden beauty, peace, adaptability, poor character judgment and power.
Gazelle Aggressive
Giraffe Communication, intuition, attaining the unreachable, seeing the future
Goat Surefootedness, stubbornness, independence, diligence, lack of foresight.
Goose Self-demanding, reliable, prudent, rigid, vigilance, parenthood, and productive.
Gorilla Family-oriented, intelligence, strength, environmental protector, keeps peace through aggression.
Grasshopper Good luck, abundance, forward, progressive.
Grouse Personal power, enlightenment.
Hawk Messenger, intuition, victory, healing, nobility, recollection, cleansing, visionary power, and guardianship.
Heron/Egret Aggressive, self-determined, self-reliant, multi-tasking, balanced.
Hippopotamus
Power, creation, imagination, healing.
Horse Freedom, stamina, mobility, the land, travel, power, and freedom.
Hummingbird
Messenger, timelessness, healing, and warrior.
Jaguar Chaos, shape-shifter, aggressiveness, power.
Kangaroo Forward, balance, creative, stamina.
Lion Family, strength, energy, courage, guardian and protector.
Lizard Conservation, vision, self-protection, hidden defenses.
Llama Comforting to others, secure.
Lynx Keeper of secrets, guardian, listener, and guide.
Mole Sensitivity, guidance, searching.
Monkey Ability to change the environment, health, success.
Moose Headstrong, longevity, steadfastness, and wisdom.
Mouse Scrutiny, order, organizer, and an eye for details.
Octopus Intelligence, camouflage, nocturnal.
Opossum Diversion, strategist, and deceiver.
Ostrich Grounded, practical.
Otter Playful, friendly, dynamic, joy, helpfulness, and sharing
Owl Deception, clairvoyance, insight, messenger.
Ox Sacrifice, chastity and self-denial
Panther Protection, hidden emotions, introspection, caution, careful decisions
Parrot Communication, beauty, guide for wisdom, mockery, thinking before speaking
Peacock Immortality, dignity, and self-confidence
Pelican Resilient, unselfish, rising above.
Penguin Self-discipline, grace, self-confidence, spiritual
Porcupine Innocence, companionship, and trust
Prairie Dog Swiftness, industrious, constructive, preparedness
Puma Companion on journeys to other worlds, grace, silent power
Quail Group-work, team play, creator of harmony and group tolerance, protectiveness (especially toward children)
Rabbit Fear, timidity, nervousness, humility, rebirth,
Raccoon Curiosity and cleanliness
Ram Stoic, sensitive, persevering, curious, imaginative.
Rat Fertility, stealth, scavenging, intelligence, enjoys luxury
Raven Introspection, courage, self-knowledge, magic
Rhinoceros Wisdom, solitary, insightful, solid.
Roadrunner Mental agility, speed, opportunistic.
Rooster Vanity, likes to be showered with gifts and attention, early riser, settling for nothing less than the best
Salmon Proud, intense, confident, wisdom, inspiration
Scorpion Transforming, strong, inspiring, chaotic, passionate
Seagull Versatility, loud, easy-going nature, creativity, laziness
Seahorse Confidence and grace
Seal Love, longing, dilemma, active imagination, creativity
Shark Hunter, survival, and adaptability
Skunk Reputation, presence, and strength
Snail Protective, aware, solitary.
Snake Impulsive, shrewdness, rebirth, transformation, initiation, and wisdom
Spider Balance, wisdom, creativity, communication
Squirrel Planner and gatherer
Stag Lord of the forest, masculine power of regeneration, signs.
Swan Grace, balance and innocence, soul, love, beauty, of the self
Tiger Strength, valor, power, and energy
Toad inner strength, luck, self-examination
Turkey Generosity, life-giver, and sharer
Turtle Nurturer, shy, and protecting
Unicorn Purity, innocence, dreamer, personal power, gentle
Weasel Strength, energy, ingenuity and stealth
Whale Wisdom, provider, intelligence, and kindness.
Wolf Loyalty, perseverance, success, intuition, and spirit
Woodpecker Sensitive, protective, and devotion
Zebra Agility and individuality
www.legendsofamerica.com/na- totems .html
Totem Poles
This information is for reference only - some local tribes and areas or time may have altered this research. It should be
fairly accurate though as most of it comes from Jesuit missionaries records from 1700 - 1800's and from a book
from The Boy Scouts of America Service Library called "Totem Poles" by Robert W. De Groat printed in 1930 and
sold for 20 cents. Number 3196
Thousands of years ago when man was in his early savage state, Totemism had its origin. In his conflict with the rough forces of nature man learned the habits, the virtues, and the strong features of certain animals. He respected them and prided himself on the stories he could tell of his adventures among the beasts. From one outstanding adventure he would acquire his tribal name. The name would not be the same as the animal but it would stand for the virtues which that particular animal possessed. For instance a man might be called "Huya" which stood for "fighting Eagle." When his people called him "Huya" they not only used it for convenience, but they thought immediately of the deeds behind the name. Many persons still retain common family names such as Fox, Green, Stone, etc., which were originally totems. In the early days a man did not sign his name. He would draw the picture of the animal in what is known as "pictograph" form. Some of these ancient pictographs are on exhibition in some of our larger museums. Primitive man was very proud of his totem, since in those early days it stood for all that a family
name and its traditions stand for nowadays. It was his name, his ancestors name, something held in reverence. The Indian was wise in many ways. He carved his family history on a large pole and erected it where everyone could see it. To a certain extent it helped him live a finer life, as his deeds were deeply incised in monumental form, impossible to change at a moments notice. The pole generally started with the oldest history at the bottom, and read upward. It was topped with the family totem or crest, giving a royal appearance and strong silhouette. Among certain tribes of the Northwest, two watchmen were used as a crowning feature. Early totems were carved with stone tools. As metals parts of boats washed ashore, and European and Asian settlers arrived, the carvers began to use metal tools.
Types of Totem PolesBurial Poles - Carry a story about the deceased.Crest Poles - Give the ancestry of particular family. Heraldic Poles - These totems stand in the front area of the house displaying the family history.History Poles - Record the history of a clan. House Frontal Poles - Like portals, the cedar posts stand by the entrance of the house.Indoor House Posts - These poles support the roof and also carry many clan emblems.Legend Poles - illustrate folklore or real life experiences. Memorial Poles - commemorate a particular individual. Potlatch poles - These totems are carved exclusively by the Haida Natives to commemorate festivals and events.Ridicule poles - These totem poles were sometimes erected to shame debtors.
Prominent Features of TotemsRaven - beak sharp protruding
Wolf - long sharp muzzle and elevated snoutBear - usually realistically featured large nostrils, paws, and
fangsMountain Goat - sharp horns, cleft hoof as a foot with two
toes
Killer Whale - two prominent dorsal fins, large head, mouth turned up at corners, two spines above eyes
Dogfish Shark - gills slits as crescents, crescent shaped mouth, depressed at corners and filled with saw-like teeth
Halibut - continuous fin, both eyes on one sideOctopus - bird like head, hooked bill, suction plates and
tentaclesInsect - carved much like birds difficult to recognize
Supernatural Symbols - carved as adaptations of local species, such as - sea grizzly carved as bears with finsToads - carved realistically and used as space fillers,
inclusion on pole believed to prevent pole from rottingSea Animals - round eyes while all other animal eyes are
carved as two curves enclosing a circleMen and Women - represented realistically, women are
distinguished by a labret in their lower lip
Meaning of Totem Pole Colors"These colors were fairly consistent through United States
although they may have varied from tribe to tribe in shades"For paint the Indians originally used pigments from clay and
roots. The colors were very bright and became subdued after the pole had weathered several winters. The
symbolism of the colors changed a little in different parts of United States.
WhiteThis color is used, along with other light colors, as a background and predominating shade. As a rule it
symbolized the skies and the spacious heavens. It also stood for purity, peace and death.
RedGenerally this color stands for blood, war or valor.
Sometimes it is used as appears in nature, such as the crest of a red-headed woodpecker, the scarlet tanager or
frequently the tongue of an animal.Blue
This color was most commonly used as the symbol for the rivers, water and lakes, also the skies. Certain tribes even
used it for mountains in the distance. It stands for sincerity and happiness. Berries formed a large portion of the natural
color. Western clay and pigments of the canyons also lent varying hues to this effective color.
YellowThe natural abundant materials made this color a very
popular and predominating one. Clays, roots and tannic barks furnished the natives with dyes. Yellow reflects the
symbol of the sun, light and happiness. Yellow dye is readily
made from tree moss.Green
It may easily be realized that this color represents the earth, the hills, the trees, and mountains, so common in all Indian legends. This color may be obtained by mixing two primary colors, yellow and blue, or it may be made from simple acid action on copper. In certain sections of the
West, Northwest. and Upper Midwest copper was rather abundant. Other parts of the country used the grasses.
PurpleHuckleberries give a very good substance for dyeing and the Indians used this commonly. Purple is an excellent color for
recessed portions of the carving and for symbols of a reverent nature. It stood for mountains in the distant and
general conventionalized signs.Black
Mud from sulphur springs and other earth deposits made this color available to the Indian. As a rule it stood for
power.
The West Coast America's Tribe'sHaida - a little paint
Bella Coola - highly painted in bright colorsTsimshian - tall poles
Kwakiutl - often thunderbird at top, highly paintedTlingit - (Alaska) - red and pastel colors
Salish - smaller figures and polesNootka - tall and small poles
Color is also employed to designate directions. Below is an explanation of these colors used by most Tribes
in USADirectional Colors - Red is South, blue-green is West,
yellow indicates North, and white is East.
Numbers are also usedOne - South, Two - West, Three - North, Four - East, Five
Upper World or Sun, Six Mother Earth, Seven Sacred Fire in the center of the Universal Circle. The connection to The
Universal Spirit, The Great One, Great Spirit,
Prominent Features of Totem FiguresOwl - small triangular peak - big eyes
Thunderbird - very powerful eagle - magical - usually spread wings
Eagle and Raven - beaks stick out
Killer Whale - Orca - long flat sides, fish tale, can be black and white
Salmon or Flounder - flat sides, round eyesGrizzly Bear - bear paws, snout, ears
Frog - usually shown from aboveMosquito or Hummingbird - long, thin beak
Mountain Goat - horns and hoofed feetHuman - face, hands, feet of a person
Baby - usually under an adultMoon - big circle
Sun - big circle with rays
Symbols Represented the FollowingThese Symbols are examples from Indian tribes around United States. They are fairly universal although some
Tribes may not use some of these symbols and others may have other meanings for them on a local level.
BeaverCreative,
Artistic and Determined
BearStrength, Learned Humility,
Motherhood, Teaching
BumblebeeHonesty,
Pure Thinking - Willingness
and Drive
BuffaloIt represents
the Great Spirit
manifested
ButterflyTransformation and the ability
to accept change
Copper
Wealth and Prestige
CougarPower,
leadership,encourages
responsibility for life
CowMotherhood
and nourishment,
fertility
CrocodileEmotional
nature
CoyoteHelps you recognize your own mistakes
Crow
Find balance living in present
release past beliefs
DeerGentleness,
kindness and compassion
Dolphinbreath,
communication, interpreting your dreams
DogfishPersistence
and Strength A Born Leader
DoveLove,
Gentleness and Kindness
Dragon Fly
Ever-changing Life
EagleGreat
Strength, courage
Leadership and Prestige
Eagle Feather
Good Luck to Both Giver
and Receiver
FrogSpring & New
Life - Communicator,
Stability
Grizzly BearStrength and
Ferocity
Halibut
Life protector, Strength and
Stability
HawkStrength Far
Sighted
HeronPatience,
Graceful and Easy Going
Horsecommunicate
with other realms
message carrier.
Human facesPeople
Hummingbird Killer Whale Kingfisher Lizard Loon
Love, Beauty, Intelligence,
Spirit Messenger
Seas and the UnderworldTraveler & Guardian - Symbol of
Good
Luck, Patience, Speed and
Agility
your awareness,
your subconscious
hopes and fears
Peace, Tranquility -
Generous Giving Nature
Moon
Protector and Guardian of the Earth by
Night Height
MouseTo notice the little things in
life
Mountain Goat
Nobility
OtterTrusting,
Inquisitive and Bright -
Loyal Friendship
OwlWisdom,
ability to see things
normally hidden from
view
Raven
Creation & Knowledge -
Bringer of the Light
SalmonDependability and Renewal -
A Provider
SealBright,
Inquisitive, Organized
SnakeHelps get rid
of useless problems and items like it sheds it skin
SpiderCreativity, weaving of
fate
Squirrel
Develops the ability to plan ahead and to
anticipate your future
needs
SwanGives ability
to handle change and
transformation with grace and dignity
SunHealing Energy,
Guardian of the Earth by
Day
ThunderbirdPowerful & Mystical - A
Leader
TurtleGives ability to keep your feet on the ground and
pay attention to earthly
things.
Weasel
Encourages you to develop your sense of inner hearing and to pay attention to your
inner voice.
Whalegives you the ability to
know the wisdom of the ages - from the
time before time
WolfIntelligence &
Leadership - Strong Sense of Family
Authentic Totems of American Indian TribesIroquois
Mohawks - Bear, wolf, and turtle.Oneidas - Bear, wolf, turtle.Onondagas - Bear, wolf, turtle, deer, beaver, eel, snipe.Cayugas - Bear, wolf, turtle, deer, beaver, eel, snipe, hawk.Senecas - Bear, wolf, turtle, deer, beaver, heron, snipe, hawk.Tuscaroras - Bear, gray wolf, yellow wolf, great turtle, little turtle, beaver, eel, snipe.Hurons or Wyandots - Big turtle, little turtle, mud turtle, wolf, bear, beaver, deer, porcupine, striped turtle, prairie
turtle, snake, hawk.
Algonkin Tribes on the AtlanticDelaware's or Lenapes - Wolf, bear, dog, opossum, turtle, little turtle, mud turtle, great turtle, yellow eel, turkey, crane, chicken.Mohicans - Wolf, turtle, turkey, bear, dog, opossum, yellow eel, crane, chickenAbenakis (Maine) - Wolf, wild cat (black), bear, snake, spotted animal, beaver, caribou, sturgeon, muskrat, pigeon, hawk, squirrel, spotted frog, crane, porcupine.
Mississippi Algonkin TribesPueblo TribesMiami's - Wolf, loon, eagle, buzzard, panther, turkey, raccoon, snow, sun, water.Sauks and Foxes - Wolf, bear, deer, elk, hawk, eagle, fish, buffalo, thunder, pine, fox, sea, sturgeon, big tree.Shawnees - Wolf, loon, bear, buzzard, panther, owl, turkey, deer, raccoon, turtle, snake, horse, rabbit.Menomonis - Bear, porcupine, turtle, crane, wolf, otter, sturgeon, sunfish, big thunder, golden eagle, fork-tail hawk, bald eagle, turkey-buzzard, winter hawk, red tail hawk, crow, raven, beaver, elk, pine squirrel, wolf, dog, deer, bald eagle, fish hawk, great heron, coot, marten, fisher.Ojibways - Crane, catfish, loon, bear, marten, reindeer, wolf, merman, pike, lynx, eagle, rattlesnake, moose, black duck or cormorant, goose, sucker, sturgeon, white fish, beaver, gull, hawk, mud turtle, snapping turtle, little turtle, snipe, duck, snake, muskrat, heron, hull-head or bull-pout, sparrow, hawk, water snake, forked tree, wildcat, otter, buffalo, birch-bark, white oak tree, grizzly bear, reindeer, pike.Seminoles - Wind, tiger or panther, otter, bird, deer, wolf, snake, alligator.Chickasaw - Wildcat, bird, panther, fish, deer, raccoon, squirrel, alligator, wolf, blackbird.Cherokees - Wolf, holly, acorn, deer, bird, long prairie.Hopi - Horn-flute, mountain sheep, deer, antelope, elk, seed grass, ant, corn, rain cloud, rainbow, lightning, agaves, rabbit-brush, duck, frog, tadpole, snake, puma, dove, cactus, marmot, skunk, raccoon, squash, crane, pigeon hawk, thistle, eagle, hawk, turkey, sun, star, chicken hawk, willow, parrot, cottonwood, macaw, corn, badger, butterfly, coyote, skeleton,hemlock, buck-grass, squash, yellow fox, gray fox, juniper, striped squirrel, lizard, spider, fir, oak,
magpie, field mouse, porcupine, turkey buzzard.Zuni - Crane or pelican, evergreen oak, coyote, badger, antelope, sun, eagle, parrot-macaw, cotton-tail rabbit, tortoise, rouse, bear, maize plant, deer, turkey, toad or frog, rattle-snake, sunflower.Scattered Tribes of the Pueblos - Calabash, mountain lion, turquoise, granite, arrow, humming bird, blue bird, timber, gopher, pine, boulder goose.Mahaves - Moon, caterpillar, coyote, rain cloud, sun, beaver, mesquite.
Northwest IndiansTlingit - Raven, frog, goose, sea lion, owl, salmon, beaver, codfish, skate, wolf, eagle, bear, killer-whale, shark, auk, gull, sparrow-hawk, thunder-bird.Haidas - Raven clan, eagle, killer-whale, black bear, loon, woodpecker, thunder-bird, hawk, wolf, dogfish, devilfish, owl, land otter, grizzly bear, sea lion, mountain goat, rainbow.Eagle Clan - beaver, sculpin, frog, raven, dogfish, halibut, land otter, starfish, hummingbird, skate.Tsimshian - Raven, codfish, starfish, eagle, halibut, beaver, whale, wolf, crane, grizzly bear, bear, killer whale, dolphin, sun, moon, grouse.Omahas - Male elk and deer, red maize, bear, turtle or tortoise, bird, white crane, verdigris, or green clay, deer head, buffalo head, white clay, buffalo tail, reptiles, thunder, black shoulder, wolf.Poncas - Thunder, fire, wind-makers, wildcat, bald elk, earth, medicine, dark buffalo, osage.Iowa's - Black bear, wolf, white wolf, black wolf, gray wolf, coyote, eagle, thunder-being, golden eagle, gray eagle, spotted eagle, bald eagle, elk, beaver, pigeon, raccoon, grouse, buffalo, rattlesnake, owl.Kansas or Kaw - Deer, black eagle, prairie wolf, tent, bear, duck, turtle, thunder, buffalo, elk, earth, white eagle, raccoon, osage, black bear, ghost, gray hawk.Osages - Sun, comet, buffalo bull, black bear, elk, swan, bald eagle, turtle, fish, pond-lily.Winnebagoes - Wolf, elk, bear, deer, buffalo, snake, eagle, thunder.Mandans - Wolf, bear, prairie chicken, good knife, eagle, flathead, high village.Crows - Prairie dog, skunk, lost lodges, bear's paw, fish catchers, raven, antelope.Creek Indians - Wolf, bear, skunk, alligator, panther, mole, fish, hickory nut, beaver, snake, bear, deer, wind, fox, maize, salt, otter, bird,
toad, raccoon, wildcat, buffalo.
http://www.chainsawsculptors.com/totem_poles.htm
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