Totem Poles within the Tlingit

Totem poles are monumental carvings that originated in the northwest coast which are
engraved with symbols and figures of things related to that certain tribe. There are many
different types of totem poles that are created and utilized within a tribe or community. The
totems consist of house posts, mortuary poles, memorial poles, house frontal poles, welcome
poles, and shame/ridicule poles. Tlingit tribe has created some of the most famous totem poles
throughout the years. Even though the Tlingit tribe is not the originator of the totem pole most
traditional carvers are from their tribe. The creation of a totem pole can vary but no matter the
reason for it the tribe it is made by has major implications for them as a group.
The first type of totem pole that is important in the Tlingit tribe is the mortuary poles.
They are among the tallest of the totem poles created at 50 to 70 feet in height. Mortuary poles
are erected when a death of an important member of the community has occurred. The tribe will
carve a single figure into the top of the pole in commemoration of the individual. This type of
totem pole doesnt have carvings all over it like most do due to the sincerity of them. Mortuary
poles are the rarest type of totem pole due to the reasoning behind them.
The second type of totem pole that is important in the Tlingit tribe is the memorial poles.
This type of pole is created after about a year of a person being deceased. The clan chiefs pole is
usually erected in the middle of the village. Memorial poles are created to identify the individual
that will be becoming the successor within the clan. To commemorate an event a memorial pole
will be created which in the case of the Tlingit is true. The Tlingit tribe made several memorial
poles in honor of Abraham Lincoln. Memorial poles are seen as special poles within the
community.
The third type of totem pole that is important in the Tlingit tribe is the shame/ridicule
poles. These types of poles were created to embarrass individuals that did wrong to the tribe or
had unpaid debts to the tribe. Shame poles are placed in prominent places so that everyone can
see them and the carving shows the person that is being shamed. Once that specific person pays
off their debt or wrongdoing is corrected then they are removed. The Seward Pole is a famous
pole created by the Tlingit tribe. It was created to shame former U.S. Secretary of State William
H. Seward for not showing courtesy and generosity to the Tlingit tribe that was hosting him.
Tlingit society was created together with different social classes. The Tlingit was divided
into eighteen great families named after animals. Members were not allowed to marry within the
same family or totem pole. Outside the houses of different families of Tlingit there was a totem
depicting the animal totem of the family. These animals that were carved into the totems
symbolized their guardian spirits. The Tlingit were one of six Northwest Coast Indians who
created totem poles. Tlingit and two other tribes used the Northern style of carving and painting
a totem pole. Totem poles were a sign of wealth within a community which made them a special
feature in a tribe. If a totem pole was in front of tribe members home that showed ancestry and
social rank for that family.
Totem poles were not made to be worshipped but to inspire respect for what is on it. The
meaning behind totem poles can be interpreted to tell a story. Every animal depicted on a pole
had a special meaning. To fully understand the totem pole you must have knowledge of customs,
traditions, and history of the tribe or clan. The colors and things that are carved on the totem pole
have meanings once they are put together in sequence to tell a story or represent a legend or
myth. Depending on where the figure is located on the pole is based on its significance to the
clan or family. Overall the significance of a totem pole to the people of northwest coast
communities is beyond measure to their tribe and clans especially for the Tlingit.
The creation of a totem pole can vary but no matter the reason for it the tribe it is made
by has major implications for them as a group. The Tlingit are just one of the many tribes that
use totem poles as a symbol within their culture. The totem pole really is the staple of the tribes
of the northwest coast and shows and lays out a lot for the community it is representing. Even
though totem poles are so important in a community it isnt used for spiritual reasons as most
would expect. Totem poles main role is to instill respect for that group or individual that is a part
of a particular totem pole. With the many different types of totem poles they each have their own
meaning and use and tell a lot about a clan or tribe.

Citations
Bowlen, Scott. New totem pole honors Seward storys complexity. Ketchikan Daily News,
www.ketchikandailynews.com/premium/scene-5-13.

Tlingit Tribe. Tlingit Tribe: Facts, Clothes, Food and History ***,
www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/indian-tribes/tlingit-tribe.htm.

Totem Poles. Totem Poles ***, www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-american-

culture/totem-poles.htm.