Why were totems made

Download: MP4 format. Totem poles are a traditional way of telling the stories of First Nation families and clans, and of keeping records of important historical events. Many people think of the totem pole as belonging to Indigenous cultures all across Canada, but did you know that only six West Coast First Nations are responsible for the creation of totem poles?

It's easy to tell where a totem pole comes from based on how it's carved because the style and design of each pole are specific to each family, clan or region. Most totem poles were carved from mature cedar trees using sharpened stones and cedar carving tools. Colonial officials attempted to assimilate Aboriginal peoples by banning cultural expressions and practices, such as the potlatch in , based on the expectation that Aboriginal peoples would then adopt Christian traditions.

Along with the outlawing of ceremonies, thousands of items, such as ceremonial regalia, were forcibly taken from Aboriginal peoples and sent to museums and private collectors throughout North America and Western Europe. This included totem poles.

Much of this discriminatory legislation was not repealed until , although the relocation and repatriation of stolen materials is ongoing. Starting in the early s, the federal government adopted a policy of salvage anthropology and, fearing the decline of Indigenous art, began to buy out totem poles from communities living along the Skeena River.

The Haisla and the museum negotiated a plan for repatriation: the museum agreed to return the pole, and the Haisla would carve a replacement. Finally, in April , the pole returned to Vancouver. On July 1, , the Haisla officially welcomed the pole home to Kitimat.

It was the first pole in Canada to be repatriated from overseas. You can view the film in its entirety on the NFB website, here. For generations, First Nations peoples have made major efforts to maintain their cultural traditions in the face of assimilationist policies. Following the repeal of discriminatory legislation in , a new generation of artists began to learn and promote the artistry of totem pole carving as a form of cultural revitalization. Museum in Victoria. In the early s, the Haisla people of the Kitimat area in B.

The pole had been taken without consent by an Indian Agent who sold it to a Swedish museum. Black, Martha. Victoria, B. Jensen, Vickie. The Totem Poles of Stanley Park. Vancouver: Westcoast Words and Subway Books, Jonaitis, Aldona, and Aaron Glass.

Seattle: University of Washington Press, Ramsay, Heather. 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!

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.

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.

Totem poles are represent Indigenous families and clans!