Totem Poles

Purpose, history, and legacy

What are Totem Poles?
- Public representation of ancestor legends and
family histories
- Carved from wooden posts or pillars
- Historical significance/narrative
- Each animal symbol encompasses different
characteristic traits
- Location is important; coastal areas/islands of
Pacific Northwest
- Lesson focused on Haida and Kwakwakawakw
(Kwakiut) tribes of BC

Stanley Park Vancouver, Canada

Different types of Totem Poles
- Each nation has their own totem pole style; we
are focusing on the Haida and Kwakwakawakw
(Kwakiut) tribes of BC
- 3 different types
- Crest poles- ancestor stories
- Mortuary poles- house remains of deceit person (usually
are important)
- House posts- act as support structures that carry family
crests

Stanley Park Vancouver, Canada

Haida
- Northwest Coastal group (Canadian Islands
such as Vancouver)
- known for their totem pole carving; thought that
the totem poles watched over their family and
clan; thunderbird usually on top
- tribe split into three areas: aristocrats,
commoners, and slaves

Stanley Park Vancouver, Canada

Kwakwakawakw (Kwakiut)
- traditional inhabitants of the coastal areas of
Vancouver Island and BC
- originally made up of 28 communities
occupied this areas for about 8,000 years
- they fished, hunted, gathered in the proper
season and worked on ceremonial and artistic
activities in the winter months when it was too
cold to go outside.

Stanley Park Vancouver, Canada

Robert Davidson
- Born November 4, 1946
- Davidson comes from a lineage of artists
- His name means Eagle of Dawn
- Haida and Tlingit descent
- Canadian native who explores various media:
totem pole carving, printmaking, sculpture,
painting and jewelry maker
- Davidson follows Haida traditional art making
(also adding his own spin to it), creating
postmodern masterpieces.
Getting Ready to Take Flight
(1995)

Ravenous
(2003)
Ellen Neel
- Born November 14, 1916
- Comes from a family of totem pole carvers
- Her name Kakaso'las means "People Who
Come to Seek Her Advice."
- Kwakwaka'wakw decent
- Born in Alert Bay, BC but resided with her
family in Vancouver
- Commissioned to create totem poles and
one of hers now stands in the Stanley park
oval (pictured here called Kakaso'las) in
Vancouver, Canada
Thunderbird
and chief
(1956)

Kakaso'las Totem
Pole (1955)
Now its your turn!
- For this lesson, you will be making your own totem pole
- Study the handouts of the different animal symbols and what characteristics they
possess; choose 5 that have characteristics that represent YOU!
- Practice drawing on scratch paper; when ready, final paper will be 18 in x 26 in
- Draw it out on final paper
- Paint with water colors (demo provided by teacher) and incorporate 2 watercolor
techniques: salt and denatured alcohol (demo provided by teacher)
- Present finished totem pole to class!
- Reflection: write out what animals you chose, what they mean and how those
represent you
Resources
- https://www.lattimergallery.com/collections/ellen-neel
- http://www.robertdavidson.ca/
- http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/kwakiutl/
- Totem pole pictures were taken on my personal family vacation to Vancouver,
Canada. I am glad I got to use them in my project!