Totems

• Totem poles are monumental sculptures carved from large trees, mostly red cedar
• Purpose

  • Traditional way of telling the stories of Aboriginal families (relationships, status accomplishments, adventures)

  • Commemorated dead

  • Keeping records of important historical

  events

  • Emblems of individual families and clans

   
• How?

  • Made from mature red or yellow cedar trees

  • Carved with sharpened stones and cedar tools (oldest totem poles)

  • steel tools (axe, knife)

  • Breathing (give a life to the totem pole)

  • Rising of a new pole - celebration

   
• Where?

  • On strips of beach between the forests and the Pacific Ocean facing outward

  • In front of ledges

  • Carved human figures on their house posts
•   Morphing Creatures

  • They believed that in ancient times that, animals could change into people

  • Most clans had an animal ancestor such as grizzly bear or a wolf
•   Symbols

  • Raven – curious and mischievous 

  • Sea Turtle – Mother Earth

  • Thunderbird – rolling thunder

  • Eagle- intelligent and resourceful

  • Wolf- helper

  • Bear- teacher

  • Frog- wealth

  • Salmon- determination