Title: Totem Poles - Enchanted Learning
Headings: Totem Poles
Totem Poles
Introduction
Which Tribes Made Totem Poles?
Totemism and Animal Carvings
Materials
Memorials, Stories, and Legends
Value to Historians

Content: The spirits are shown as people, mythical beasts, and treasured wildlife—often the bald eagle, grizzly bear, moose, beaver, otter, mountain goat, wolf, whale, porpoise, seal, sea lion, or salmon. Which Tribes Made Totem Poles? Though totem poles are now a common symbol of Native American culture, only some tribes actually produced them, including the Haida, the Tlingit, and the Coast Salish tribes. Only those who lived in areas with trees which were at least dozens of feet tall even had the opportunity. Totemism and Animal Carvings
These large art pieces have come to represent an important facet of Native American culture. This isn’t too surprising, as many of the tall structures still exist and capture peoples’ imaginations. The portrayal of traditional legends can even be seen in the name. The word “totem” comes from the Okibwa tribe’s “totemism”—the belief that sacred or supernatural animals were the forebears of humans. This is why depictions of animals were carved into totem poles: the Native Americans were telling a story as well as paying homage to their ancestry.