![]() Several trees may be inspected before a particular tree is chosen for its beauty and character. 7 Before a cedar tree is harvested for a totem pole, many coastal First Nations communities will perform a ceremony of gratitude and respect in honour of the tree. Most totem poles are made from Western red cedar, a rot-resistant tree that is straight-grained and easy to carve. Carving a poleĬarving a totem pole requires not only artistic skill, but an intimate understanding of cultural histories and forest ecology. 6 This disintegration is recognized as a natural part of a pole’s life cycle. Most poles, even though they are made from rot-resistant cedar, last only about a hundred years before they begin to disintegrate. During this time, coastal First Nations acquired new tools that enabled them to construct more elaborate poles. 5 Most historians and other experts agree that totem pole carving did not reach its peak until the nineteenth century, when many coastal First Nations were involved in the fish and fur trade with Europeans. The totem pole designs that most people recognize today were, for the most part, developed in the last 200 years. One well-known shame pole, which stands in Cordova, Alaska, was carved by Tlingit fisherman Mike Webber to protest the environmental disaster and political mishandling of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound. Shame poles were more common in the nineteenth century, but today, some First Nations erect these poles as a form of protest against the loss of Aboriginal territory or for other political grievances. Less commonly, some First Nations carved “shame poles” to ridicule neighbouring groups who had unpaid debts. Memorial poles tend to be the tallest type of pole, particularly among the Tsimshian of the Nass and Skeena Rivers in central British Columbia. Likewise, a memorial or commem orative pole was often created to honour an important deceased person, usually by his or her successor. Mortuary poles, which contained the remains of the deceased in grave boxes, served as both a tomb and a headstone. Similarly, some longhouses featured a house frontal pole, which would be located at the main entrance and often contained an opening for passage into the house. Most longhouses had house posts, carved with human or animal forms, to support the main beams of the building. 3 Different types of totem poles are erected to serve various architectural and ceremonial purposes. ![]() Mo st totem poles stand between 3 to 18 metres tall, although some can reach over 20 metres in height. This section will explore the meaning and purpose of totem poles, how they are constructed, stylistic variations, and their significance in cultural revitalization initiatives among First Nations. The array of different totem pole styles and designs reflect the rich diversity of the First Nations histories and cultures that produced them. Of all the material culture produced by coastal First Nations, the totem pole is likely one of the most recognizable cultural symbols of the Pacific Northwest. Totem poles can also be created to honour a particular event or important person. 2 Wealthy and influential families may have more than one crest. Other common crests among coastal First Nations include the wolf, eagle, grizzly bear, thunderbird, killer whale, frog, raven, and salmon. For example, some Kwakwaka’wakw families of northern Vancouver Island belonging to the Thunderbird Clan will feature a Thunderbird crest and familial legends on their poles. 1 Totem poles are primarily visual representations of kinship, depicting family crests and clan membership. ![]() Totem poles would not necessarily tell a story so much as it would serve to document stories and histories familiar to community members or particular family or clan members.Ī totem pole typically features symbolic and stylized human, animal, and supernatural forms. ![]() Most totem poles display beings, or crest animals, marking a family’s lineage and validating the powerful rights and privileges that the family held. Totem poles are typically created out of red cedar, a malleable wood relatively abundant in the Pacific Northwest, and would be erected to be visible within a community. Totem poles are monuments created by First Nations of the Pacific Northwest to represent and commemorate ancestry, histories, people, or events. House frontal poles outside the Haida Heritage Centre, Kaay Llnagay, BC.
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