Totem figures represent much in the way of legend and family relationships. They also repre- sent a relationship with the Earth and its history.
Bird representation on totems can be recog- nized by their beaks, irrespective of the type of face to which they are attached. Various birds, in turn, can be identified by the shape of the beak. A straight beak for the raven, curved for the eagle, and curved until the tip rested on the mouth or chin for the hawk.
The art of totem evolved into neither realistic nor symbolic representation, but a mingling of the two.
World politics have evolved the same way. It is very hard to distinguish the realistic from the symbolic.
There was a point when U.S. politics entered into native culture and at the same time totem sculpture. The tribes of the northwest began to put Abe Lincoln’s top hat on the peak of many totems. He was the Great White Father.
Totem art was not a technical representation of that which it represented. Specific body parts would be used to represent an animal. The beaver was indicated by large incisor teeth, a killer whale by the dorsal fins and blow hole, the grizzly bear by a large mouth full of teeth, and the Great White Father by not only the top hat but the large mouth and protruding forked tongue.
The clan totem is a symbol for a tribe, clan, family, or person. They are carved in the associa- tion of the clan with a particular plant, animal, or other natural object. The clan considers these to- tems holy and pray to them. The totem oftentimes represents an ancestor. One bonus for the species represented on the totem was that often it was forbidden for the clan to kill or eat the species belonging to the totem. You will seldom see pizza and beer on a totem. It is believed these are items that most tribes just did not want to give up.
Totemism, as a form of religion, is widespread among primitive tribes. Many North American tribes, particularly those of the Pacific Northwest, carved birds as their clan emblems on totem poles. The tribe held a potlatch, or feast, when the totem poles were put up.
Bird representation on totems can be recog- nized by their beaks, irrespective of the type of face to which they are attached. Various birds, in turn, can be identified by the shape of the beak. A straight beak for the raven, curved for the eagle, and curved until the tip rested on the mouth or chin for the hawk.
The art of totem evolved into neither realistic nor symbolic representation, but a mingling of the two.
World politics have evolved the same way. It is very hard to distinguish the realistic from the symbolic.
There was a point when U.S. politics entered into native culture and at the same time totem sculpture. The tribes of the northwest began to put Abe Lincoln’s top hat on the peak of many totems. He was the Great White Father.
Totem art was not a technical representation of that which it represented. Specific body parts would be used to represent an animal. The beaver was indicated by large incisor teeth, a killer whale by the dorsal fins and blow hole, the grizzly bear by a large mouth full of teeth, and the Great White Father by not only the top hat but the large mouth and protruding forked tongue.
The clan totem is a symbol for a tribe, clan, family, or person. They are carved in the associa- tion of the clan with a particular plant, animal, or other natural object. The clan considers these to- tems holy and pray to them. The totem oftentimes represents an ancestor. One bonus for the species represented on the totem was that often it was forbidden for the clan to kill or eat the species belonging to the totem. You will seldom see pizza and beer on a totem. It is believed these are items that most tribes just did not want to give up.
Totemism, as a form of religion, is widespread among primitive tribes. Many North American tribes, particularly those of the Pacific Northwest, carved birds as their clan emblems on totem poles. The tribe held a potlatch, or feast, when the totem poles were put up.
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