How to Build a Totem Pole

For

many

_______

who

lived

along

the

Northwest

coast

person

America, such as the Kwakiutl, totem _______, were a way of

pole

recording familys history,_______ , _______, and _______. These

story

myth

legend

early ______did not have a written language, so these ______

people

pole

were an important way of remembering the past. These ______ were

pole

like a library or history book.

There were many _____ in creating a totem pole. First, the
step

pole carver chose a tall, straight cedar tree with few _______.
branch

Next, the carver made wedge shape _____ on either side of the
cut

tree and waited until strong ______ blew the tree down. After
wind

that, the carver cut off the ________ and stripped off the cedar
branch

trees outer bark. The inner cedar bark was soft and easier to
carve. Then, the carver drew a picture of what the totem pole
would look like. Next, the carver used charcoal and copied his
design onto the pole. When he was satisfied with his work, then
he carved the pole with various _____, ______, and _______. Each
bird

human

animal

figure represented an important part of that clanss (family)

history. Last, an important totem pole ceremony would be held,

and

the

pole

would

be

placed

in

the

ground

and

raised

up,

usually outside a wealthy persons or chiefs home.

For the Kwakiutl and other Pacific Northwest ______ with no
person

written language, the totem pole was a vital way of passing on

history

and

family

_______

to

the

next

generation.

Little

story

wonder, then, that totem _____ were highly valued by everyone.

pole