Totem poles – Grade 4

Totem poles are free standing art works made of cedar trees by  indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest coast of North America (northwestern United States and British Columbia).  Totem poles were not worshiped but they were use to communicate important aspects of native culture. A totem pole typically features symbolic and stylized human, animal, and supernatural forms. They are primarily visual representations of kinship, depicting family crests and clan membership. Totem poles were also created to honour a particular event or important person. They held a significant socio-cultural role in many communities. Most commemorate the raising of a totem with a totem pole raising ceremony, which is often held concurrently with a feast or potlatch. At these ceremonies, the significance of the pole and stories of the crests are told, and visitors witness the events, including the right of a family’s claim to the crests depicted.