1. Native American Totem Pole
For this short assignment, I am going to write about Native American Totem pole
Sally Pang
CMNS 488

2. Totem Poles Northwest Coast Carved from Cedar tree
Do not contain religious meanings
Tell a story, preserve cultural & heritage
It may be a myth, legend, life of a person
Totem poles are from the Northwest coast, they are usually carved from cedar tree. Many people thought that totem poles are used for religious meaning, actually, they are not. Instead, they tell a story. The story they tell may be about a myth, a legend, or the life of a person. Native people use totem poles to tell their future generations about them, since the natives have no written language, so, these totem poles are similar to a book.

3. Types of Totem Poles 6 Types: Indoor house posts House frontal poles
Heraldic poles
Burial poles
Ridicule poles (shame poles)
Potlatch poles
There are 6 types of totem poles. Indoor house posts are to support the roof and carry clan emblems , house frontal poles are to stand by the entrance of the house , heraldic poles: stand in the front of the house and give the family history , burial poles carry a story about the deceased (dead) , shame poles were erected to shame debtors, Potlatch poles are carved exclusively by the Haida to commemorate festivals.

4. Symbols Eagle Thunderbird Frog Raven Bear
Here’s are a few symbols that the Native used on totem poles. Eagle is symbol of both power and prestige as well as a harbinger of peace and friendship. Thunderbird is the most powerful supernatural creature. Frog is a symbol of prosperity, considered friendly as it is said he warns humans of imminent danger. Raven is known as Transformer, Trickster, Hero. Bear is referred to as Elder Kinsman and is treated as a high-ranking guest when killed. And there are many more other symbols they carve on totem poles as well. These symbols are like words or ideas in a book.

5. Readings
Folk artists
Carving a totem pole is more than just creating an art
It is to tell a story
From the Howard Becker’s reading, “art worlds and social types”, I believe that native totem pole carvers are folk artists. Because the intention of them carving totem poles are not for art, but to tell a story.
“what is done is not really thought of as art at all, at least not by any of the people involved in its production”

6. The End
This is a closer look to a large Northwest Native Indian totem pole. My purpose of this assignment is not about how the natives carve the totem poles out, or their techniques towards it. My purpose is to examine how they use these pieces of artworks to communicate to other people.