A totem pole typically features symbolic and stylized human, animal, and supernatural forms . Totem poles are primarily visual representations of kinship, depicting family crests and clan membership. ... Totem poles can also be created to honour a particular event or important person.
What is at the top of a totem pole?
These poles are also known as heraldic, crest, or family poles. Poles of this type are placed outside the clan house of the most important village leaders. Often, watchman figures are carved at the top of the pole to protect the pole owner’s family and the village.
What animals are on a totem pole?
Common figures found on totem poles include the raven (a symbol of The Creator), the eagle (representing peace and friendship), the killer whale (a symbol of strength), the thunderbird, the beaver, the bear, the wolf and the frog.
What are the 9 totem pole symbols?
The animals you’ll see most often on a totem pole are the eagle, raven, thunderbird, bear, beaver, wolf, killer whale and frog .
What do the faces on totem pole represent?
The faces are carved to look like people, animals, or plants. Each face represents a special part of the family’s past . When totem poles are erected2, the whole tribe throws a grand feast. These celebrations are called potlatches.
Who is the most important person on a 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].
Why do people use totem poles?
Totem poles are monuments created by First Nations of the Pacific Northwest to represent and commemorate ancestry, histories, people, or events . ... Most totem poles display beings, or crest animals, marking a family’s lineage and validating the powerful rights and privileges that the family held.
Is being low on the totem pole good?
A “low man on the totem pole” is a person of no status or power, someone at the bottom of a hierarchy. ... According to Canadian naturalist Pat Kramer, an expert on First Nations culture, the lowest figures on the totem pole are often considered the most prestigious .
Is it bad to say totem pole?
Using this out of context to refer to a meeting or a quick get-together with an American Indian coworker trivializes this tradition and could be taken as offensive. In corporate America, the phrase “climbing the totem pole” may be used to refer to someone who is advancing in his or her career .
Is it better to be at the top or bottom of the totem pole?
What they don’t probably know is that the lowest figure on a totem pole is generally the most respected . Totem poles are thicker toward the base; the bottom-most figure is typically the largest, most prominent and most ornately detailed and decorated of the bunch.
What are some examples of totems?
A totem could be a grizzly bear, oak tree, catfish , or just about any other living thing. Like a flag, a totem means a lot to the people it represents. special design or visual object representing a quality, type, group, etc.
What do totem pole colors mean?
The colors in the totem pole also have deep meaning: Red is the color of blood , representing war or valor. Blue is for the skies and waters, including rivers and lakes. ... Yellow is the color of the sun, bringing light and happiness. Green is the earth with its hills, trees, and mountains.
What does an eagle mean on a totem pole?
MAJOR SYMBOLS OR TOTEM FIGURES
EAGLE. The majestic Eagle is strength and vision. The Eagle symbolizes power and prestige . It protects the spirit and the body, representing health and wholeness of being. It signifies the person who rises above the petty details of daily life to take in the big picture.
What do totems represent?
In its most specific sense, totem refers to an emblematic depiction of an animal or plant that gives a family or clan its name and that often serves as a reminder of its ancestry. The term is also used broadly for any person or thing having particular emblematic or symbolic importance.
What is another word for totem pole?
| column pillar | pole baluster | buttress caryatid | mast pile | piling prop |
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Is a totem pole a religious symbol?
Totem poles are pieces of wood, usually cedar, carved with a person’s totems. ... Totem poles are not religious symbols , rather they convey a family’s or a tribe’s history.
