Totem poles are probably among the most familiar of all native North American crafts. They originated with the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian tribes along the northwestern coast of the continent, where abundant food supplies gave carvers the leisure time to develop their craft. After the arrival of Europeans brought new, sharper tools, totem carving became more widespread and elaborate.
Made of cedar, totems served many purposes. Each figure represented an element in a story; together, the poles recorded the history and legends of the tribes, which had no written language. The figures on totem poles are not gods to be worshipped; rather, they represent certain traits or characteristics that the clan considered itself to embody. They are often compared to the emblems on a coat of arms or the Great Seal of the United States.
Types of Totem Poles
There are several types of totem poles. Genealogy poles were erected in front of a home to identify the owner’s clan and status. Memorial poles were raised in honor of a deceased clan member. Mortuary poles served the same purpose but included a compartment for the ashes of the deceased. Shame poles were carved to castigate a person who had wronged the clan or village. Shame poles were taken down only after the offending person had made appropriate reparation. Other poles depicted myths or legends of the clan or were raised in honor of important deeds or events.
Color and Design
Colors were limited by the availability of natural pigments, with black the most common. It was made by grinding soot, graphite, or charcoal and mixing it with pulverized salmon eggs. Red, used for secondary elements, came from red ochre, and blue-green, used for highlighting, was made from copper sulfide.
Common totemic figures include Raven (a symbol of the creator), Eagle (who represents peace and friendship), Killer Whale (a symbol of strength), Thunderbird, Beaver, Bear, Wolf, and Frog.
Totem Poles Today
Native carvers along the Northwest coast continue to carve totem poles as an expression of cultural pride and traditions in addition to a representation of clan kinship. Though their use has changed, totem poles are considered authentic if they are produced according to traditional rules by a carver who is trained and sanctioned by a Northwest coast tribe and are raised and blessed by elders and a tribe who are part of the totem pole tradition. Poles not produced under these conditions are considered imitations or fakes.
Sources:
Eppenbach, Sara. Alaska's Southeast: Touring the Inside Passage, 7th ed. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot Press, 2000.
Kramer, Pat. Totem Poles: An Exploration.
Native Online. Totem Poles and Carvers.
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