Native American Indian Totem Poles

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‘Facts about How Native American Indian Totem Poles Were Made

• Traditional Indian totem poles were carved by hand.

• Items used to carve out totem poles included shells, wood, bone, stone, antlers, and beaver teeth. When European traders and settlers began populating North America iron tools became available which were excellent for use in making totem poles.

• The four main paint colors used in a totem pole were black, red, turquoise and white. Salmon eggs that had been chewed up and spit out were used to create the base of the paint.

• The time it took to create a totem pole depended on its intricacy and its size. An experienced carver could expect to spend anywhere from 3 to 9 months constructing one.

Types of Native American Indian Totem Poles

The different types of totem poles can generally be put into one of six categories.

• Story-telling poles - Without written language, Native Americans used symbols engraved into totem poles to preserve stories and legends that were passed down orally from one generation to the next.

• Memorial poles - Served to highlight the life of an important tribal member.

• House poles and family lineage poles - Told of a tribal clans ancestry and lineage. House poles also helped to support the actual structure of the house.

• Shame poles - made to serve as a reminder to both groups and individuals that exhibited objectionable behavior. Poor leadership, tribal quarrels, unpaid debts, murders and any unfulfilled obligations were all reasons to erect a shame pole.

• Commemorative poles - These totem poles were usually the largest and were created in celebration of a specific occasion.

• Mortuary poles and grave marker poles - Some totem poles were hollowed out in the back to serve as a holder for a deceased tribal member's ashes while some were used as grave markers in later years.’ (Source)

Let’s continue - Totem Pole Symbols and Meanings

Start at the beginning – Let’s build a totem pole!