What is the significance of a totem pole

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. Colonial officials attempted to assimilate Aboriginal peoples by banning cultural expressions and practices, such as the potlatch in , based on the expectation that Aboriginal peoples would then adopt Christian traditions.

Along with the outlawing of ceremonies, thousands of items, such as ceremonial regalia, were forcibly taken from Aboriginal peoples and sent to museums and private collectors throughout North America and Western Europe. This included totem poles. Much of this discriminatory legislation was not repealed until , although the relocation and repatriation of stolen materials is ongoing. Starting in the early s, the federal government adopted a policy of salvage anthropology and, fearing the decline of Indigenous art, began to buy out totem poles from communities living along the Skeena River.

The Haisla and the museum negotiated a plan for repatriation: the museum agreed to return the pole, and the Haisla would carve a replacement. Finally, in April , the pole returned to Vancouver. On July 1, , the Haisla officially welcomed the pole home to Kitimat. It was the first pole in Canada to be repatriated from overseas. You can view the film in its entirety on the NFB website, here.

For generations, First Nations peoples have made major efforts to maintain their cultural traditions in the face of assimilationist policies. Following the repeal of discriminatory legislation in , a new generation of artists began to learn and promote the artistry of totem pole carving as a form of cultural revitalization. Museum in Victoria. Alert Bay, British Columbia, boasts a foot tall totem. Detractors point out that because it's made from three separate pieces of wood, it doesn't count as an authentic totem.

Other tall contenders include a foot totem in Kake, Alaska. It was sanctioned properly and overlooks an American Indian reservation. But it's challenged by a foot masterpiece in Kalama, Wash. The only problem with this majestic piece of art is that it wasn't carved by an American Indian. But some insist that it merits the honor of tallest because its carver is highly respected among totem artisans. Other towns have claimed that they have the tallest totem, but the argument has never been settled.

The dispute over the world's tallest totem has caused so much strife that one totem pole in Victoria, British Columbia, was torn down in Despite its status as the tallest in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the controversy was causing the town and artist a lot of grief.

The totem was feet tall and stood for eight years before it was toppled and chopped into pieces. Causing much less controversy is the thickest totem pole.

It boasts a diameter of more than 6 feet. Another special totem title is oldest. This honor is shared among a couple of poles located on the Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia. These totems date back to at least the s, possibly even the s. They won't be around much longer, however -- they're quickly deteriorating, thanks to the rainy climate [source: Totem-Pole.

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. Dec 19, Ashley Jan 18, A totem pole is a wooden pole that Native - Americans used to carve stories.

Apr 16, Jan 25, Great description, Ashley! Ashley Oct 16, Oct 24, Foong S W Jul 20, Jul 21, School Jun 2, I am full Native American and my grandmother has 3 really totem poles from her great great great grandma. Jun 5, That's so cool, School!

Thanks for sharing your connection to this Wonder! Walter White Apr 18, I love breaking bad. It's hilarious. T Apr 20, Walter White Apr 20, Apr 22, Apr 20, Shouldn't you say something like, "I pity the fool who doesn't like it? Do you like breaking bad? If so, whoever writes these is pretty great!!

Apr 19, Apr 13, Thanks for checking out this Wonder all about them, Jessana! Apr 5, Man Mar 9, Amerey Mar 31, Apr 3, Thanks, Amerey! Mar 10, NoneOfyours Sep 17, Wow its almost like we have Free speech. Sep 18, We're glad you're visiting Wonderopolis and hope to see you again soon!

Clara Lamott Mar 31, Mar 31, Glad you've got our back! Caymen Mar 2, I am wondering how many different types of totem poles there are and what they're names are? Mar 3, Thought: I never knew there was a shame pole. Connection: I am making a totem pole for a school project. Prediction: I think the next wonder will be about tigers. Feb 20, Smith's Class Oct 5, We enjoyed learning about totem poles this morning!

We're wondering if they used masks or faces as symbols on totem poles, as well? We are also wondering if a shame pole would be used if someone lied? Lastly, what does the frog symbol mean? Thank you for sharing all of this information! Oct 5, GiGi Sep 9, Sep 9, We're glad you like Wonderopolis, GiGi!

Jul 28, We hope you visit again soon! John dosnt like this site Jul 25, Jul 26, Apr 6, What does the thunderbird mean in a totem pole? Apr 7, Apr 25, I mean as in, what does a thunderbird mean in an Alaskan totem pole? A person Mar 30, Kinda funny how "wonderpolis" never directly answers any questions.

Apr 28, I am doing a project on totem poles any ideas? Mar 23, Mar 17, We're glad you liked this Wonder! Thanks for stopping by! Emma Feb 1, Hello, I would like to site to this article. Could I please have the information to reference this. Author,place of publication, date of publication, publisher.

Thank you, hope to hear from you soon. Feb 2, Jan 22, Sounds yummy, yareli! What kind of cake it your favorite? We think cake is delicious, too, kaleena! We hope you learned something new about totem poles while visiting! Jan 21, Hi, kaleena! Thanks for joining the conversation, yareli! We're glad you stopped by Wonderopolis!

Max Nov 20, How can know the date update, and the author of this topic? Ibrahim Feb 29, We hope our response below was helpful, kaleena! Let us know if you need anymore information! Nov 23, Mar 4, Thanks for visiting Wonderopolis, ccc! You're very welcome, kaleena! Maleehah Nov 16, We're glad you having fun exploring Wonderopolis, kaleena!

Nov 17, Nov 10, Parker Lerat Nov 4, DUDE this article was awesome i loved how it showed and named all the common animals in this article. Nov 4, Human Centipede Apr 20, I wish that I could have a totem pole or I could make one; I would never want to have a shame pole. Hi, macy! We agree! Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this Wonder!

Jamie Tapaquon Nov 4, How long does it take to make a totem pole? What is the most common totem pole to carve? Aziah Nov 4, I thank you wonderopolis for me learning even more about totem poles.

I love how totem poles look like with ravens, bears, fish and other things. Hi, Aziah! Those animals would make cool totem poles. Thanks for sharing your idea! Colton Nov 4, I learned lots of facts about totem poles. One interesting cool fact was the shame pole pole was pretty awesome. The shame pole is when people embarrass other people to tell that they did something wrong. Another one was the disaster of the oil spill for the B. C in Thanks a lot Wonderopolis for great things i learned.

Nov 16, The following is how you would cite this page: "What Is a Totem Pole? Rayne Nov 4, I think that this help me with my work and its very easy to understand and its very well wrote and its not that long.!!!

Conredge Nov 4, Teegan Nov 4, Thank you for helping me with my work and I found this interesting. The article I found interesting is the one that tells us what the kind of animals are on a Totem pole. This helped me with my homework: Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ty Nov 3, I found interesting in the article is that shame poles are used for people had done stuff wrong. Neanna Nov 3, This article was very interesting, and I learned so much from it!

How many totem poles were put up altogether in Alaska? Tayvian Nov 3, Keana Nov 3, Do you use Shame Poles in Saskatchewan. Damon Nov 3, This was really interesting and I did not know that there was a shame poll very interesting. Hope Charles Nov 3, I liked the way you guys design the animals on the poles. Why would they make a same pole about someone. Levi Nov 3, There are many totem poles are interesting. Why do people make totem poles and when did it start.

Jordan Nov 3, I never knew that there was a shame pole til now. And what are amends? Amends is a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury! That's right! Thanks for being a supportive Wonder Friend and answering Jordan's question!

Cheyanne Nov 3, This article was helpful to me because I didn't know much about them before I read this article. Also how long does it take to create a totem pole? Arrian Nov 3, Shame pole they use it to embarrass someone I think i will do it to my brothers. Will someone buy spirits pole for alot of money if it was there for long time?

I hope not. Mataya Nov 3, This is a amazing article! I love totem pole's they we my favorite,They were colorful! Jaden Nov 3, Why do you have them? Like i get what they mean but why do you have them up? I like how I learned what they meant and how their taken down.

Why are some poles used for memorials? Theirs so many questions to ask you guys in all one day. I saw many of these in parks before but not in important places. Is this right? Like to do to a person or something?? The symbols on them i saw many different symbols all around different places, who were they made by?

Leyla Oct 27, Oct 28, Scrub Oct 5, Oct 6, TotemPoleFan Oct 5, Leyla Jessica Billisi Ramos Oct 27, Elijah Sep 10, Sep 13, Hey This helped me so much. I never knew what a totem pole was until I found this website and I started making my own totems too. They are so cool. Thx Wonderopolis. Sep 10, Sep 17, Bob's mother Feb 3, Wonderopolis Feb 3, Hi Bob's mother! Wonderopolis Jan 7, Hi aga!

Wonderopolis Dec 19, Kathrine Nov 24, THank you so much WOnderopolis you are the best! 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!