Totally terrific totem pole facts

_Elsa_

Tiffi is now looking for totem pole facts. Her phone rings and it’s Chewy calling.

“Hi Chewy, what’s up?” asks Tiffi. “You’ll never guess who is standing next to me! It’s my sister! She finally came to visit me. She’s staying for a couple of weeks so she’ll be able to join us in our summer adventures. I’m googling now to see how to make a totem pole. I think that’s going to be our next adventure.”

Chewy loves the idea and asks Tiffi to let him know when she wants to get together to make it. Tiffi goes back to her googling for totem pole facts and Kimmy takes the phone to chat with Chewy.

‘Have you ever seen a totem pole? They are those tall and sometimes colourful carvings that make us think of the Aboriginal and Indigenous peoples of North America. Let's check out cool facts about totem poles!

A record of events - Some totem poles are a recording of important events that happened in the past. They tell the stories of those families and clans they represent, which could be myths or legends, or something that happened to a person the totem pole is honouring.

Totem pole meanings - But there are different kinds of totem poles that have other meanings. Some are used to welcome or scare off strangers, some celebrate a special occasion like a wedding, some are memorials to remember an important member of the tribe and some are made to shame a person or another tribe who has done something wrong.

Origin of the word The word totem comes from the Algonquian word odoodem meaning “his kinship group.” This means a family or a clan. Totem poles are represent Indigenous families and clans!

Totem pole colours - Black, red, white and blue-green were the main colours of paint used on totem poles.

They're really tall! - Some totem poles are as high as 18 metres! That’s taller than a street light which averages between 7.5 and 9 metres.

Special wood - Totem poles are typically made from old red or yellow cedar trees. Cedar doesn’t rot like other woods do so it can survive for many years!’ (Source)

Let’s continue - Tiffi finds more facts

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