Introduction

The people of the Northwest Coast have been living off the land for thousands of years. The

Northwest Coast starts in the United States at northern California, into the coastal parts of

Oregon, Washington, and even into southeast Alaska. Canada is included into the Northwest

Coast as it involves coastal British Columbia. Totem poles are a distinct form of Native

American art found throughout the Northwest Coast culture area. Totem poles are made for

several reasons but one of the most common reasons for crafting a totem pole is to respect or

remember someone important to the tribe

Totem poles are an important part of the Northwest Coast culture. These pieces of art are taught

generation to generation and are valued in a celebration called a potlatch . Every member from

the tribe attends the celebration, as it’s a big part of the culture of these people. They are also a

form of communication. Totem poles may look very similar to one another, while they are each

unique to the tribe that crafts them. Some tribes use carving styles as a form of identification to

separate their work. Tribes believe in different mythical creatures and respect certain animals

and plants differently. If a tribe values a certain animal, plant, or creature, that species may not

be harmed or killed. Some tribes include people or family members, which are wealthy, a higher-

up’s in the village, or important to the community on totem poles. Tribes will also include slaves

at the bottom of poles if they are part of the the village. Each part of the totem pole represents a

different message. Totem poles are also used for education, as they educate others about what

tribe lives in the village. Paint and other objects can be specific

to a tribe, as some groups do not paint totem poles or include

projected pieces from the sculpture, such as wings or fins on an

animal or mythical creature. Each part of totem poles is specific

to the culture of the tribe.

The Artists

Each artist is different with unique

carving methods, skills, and patterns

that they decide to carve into the pole.

The artists carve many poles in the

village, while not placing their names

on the artwork. Men are the only

people able to fell or carve totem poles.

The only job that women can do in the

creation of totem poles is to collect materials

for the paint, if the tribe applies paint to the

poles. This is because women have other

jobs within the village.

Totem poles range in size. The totem poles that tourists buy on their travels to see totem

poles can be carved miniature poles, all the way up to 6ft tall souvenir poles. On average

the totem poles that are made to stay in villages are anywhere from 10ft tall to 60 feet tall.

Since cedar trees can grow to very tall heights, the tallest totem pole is almost 130 ft tall.

Totem poles are an artform that is still made

today. Some tribes have taught the younger

members how to carve and create totem

poles, while other tribes have forgotten how

to carve. The tribes that have taught the

younger generation to carve totem poles often

uses the art as a form of income. Tourists

come from all over the world to view the totem

poles that are raised and standing around villages.

They pay for tours to see the poles and even will

buy carved totem poles for souvenirs while

at the villages.

Barbeau, M. (1930). Totem Poles: A Recent Native Art of the Northwest Coast of America. Geographical Review , 258-272.

Carving out a big idea. (2009, July 9). Retrieved from Estes Park Trail Gazette: https://www.eptrail.com/2009/07/09/carving-out-a-big-idea/

Hand Adze. (2020). Retrieved from Garrett Wade: https://www.garrettwade.com/hand-adze.html

Hoagland, A. (1997). Totem Poles and Plank Houses: Reconstructing Native Culture in Southeast Alaska. Perspectives in Vernacular Architecture, 174-185.

Huang, A. (n.d.). Totem Poles. Retrieved from Indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca: https://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/totem_poles/

Lang, A., & Burne, C. S. (1902). The Origin of Totem Names and Beliefs. Folklore, 347-393.

Mabel, J. (2013, May 5). File: White Rock, BC- Haida totem pole 01.jpg. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:White_Rock,_BC_-_Haida_totem_pole_01.jpg

Northwest Coast Indians. (n.d.). Retrieved from Britannica Kids: https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Northwest-Coast-Indians/480466

Norman, A. (2016, June 2). Alex Norman. Retrieved from Mosleyart.com: https://www.mosleyart.com/the-americas/alex-norman

Simpson, H. (2017, September 8). The Best Places to See Totem Poles in Canada. Retrieved from Culture Trip: https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/canada/articles/the-best-places-to-see-totem-poles-in-

canada/

Spragg, B. (2020). 14 totally terrific totem pole facts. Retrieved from CBC Kids: https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/14-totally-terrific-totem-pole-facts

Stewart, H. (1990). Totem Poles. (S. Usukawa, Ed.) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Douglas & McIntyre Ltd.

Stewart, H. (1993). Looking At Totem Poles. Vancouver : Douglas & McIntyre.

Totem Poles. (n.d.). Retrieved from Simon Fraser University: https://www.sfu.ca/brc/art_architecture/totem_poles.html

History of the Art Form

Totem poles have been around

for hundreds of year. Native

Americans on the Northwest

Coast made statues and poles

that were for the inside of

plank house. The tall poles then

moved to be raised outside of

the houses. In 1791, the first known

outdoor poles was documented by

an explorer named John Bartlett. More

poles started to pop up around the Northwest

Coast after colonization occurred, as trade began between the whites and the Native

Americans. Poles in many villages, prior to colonization, did not exist or were rarely

made.

Materials and Technology

As totem poles have been made for hundreds of years, some techniques and materials

have changed over time. Tools that that were used in the early 18th century are different

than the tools used in the creation of totem poles today. Totem poles are commonly

formed out of Red Cedar trees. In the past, trees used for totem poles were carved and

felled using rocks, stones, bones, antlers, shells, and beaver teeth. Other materials

were also used once a totem pole was being completed including other pieces of wood

and paint. After colonization and the trade industry picked up for Native Americans,

metal tools were mostly used in the process of falling and carving totem poles. Tribes

use tools like chainsaws and adzes for cutting and carving the cedar wood.

Understanding Northwest Coast Totem Poles Dena Kossakowski

AN137H Honors Art, Culture, and the Museum

Cultural History

and Context

Interesting Fact

References

An adze, a tool

used in carving

details into totem

poles for hundreds

of years.

Hand Adze

Totem poles can be fallen and carved

using chainsaws in the present day.

This man is using it for both. Caring

out a big idea.

Various

tools that

are used

in carving

totem poles.

Very old Haida totem pole standing in a tribe

village among other poles. All showing the

height of how tall poles are.

IndigenousFoundations.arts.ubc.ca

A tribe member of a village carving a 55-foot

totem pole. Looking At Totem Poles (p. 28)

A Northwest Coast man from a village carving details into

a totem pole. Looking At Totem Poles (p. 27)

First documented illustration of an outdoor totem pole by

John Bartlett. Looking At Totem Poles (p. 20)

Many totem poles standing next to one another at Stanley Park, BC, Canada. All of

which are different with special meanings. Totem pole-

An up-close

look at the

carvings on

a totem pole

from the

Haida tribe.

A totem pole outside of a plank house. Plank

houses are about 20 feet at the pole of the house,

as the totem pole is many feet taller than the

highest part of the house. Britannica

A totem pole with

a supernatural

creature, a sea wolf, carved into

it, which the Haida tribe

believes in, other tribes identify it

as a frog. Totem Poles

Map of the Northwest Coast with

labeled tribes. There are tribes that

are not listed on the map as

boundaries for the Northwest Coast

are also often debated. Britannica

Kids

A very old traditional

totem pole free-

standing near a village.

Different carvings on

the pole display

mythical creatures and

animals. Totem Poles

A totem pole

being carved

by an artist.

Looking At

Totem Poles

(p. 27)

A carved

unpainted totem

pole.

IndigenousFound

ations.arts.ubc.ca

Current Status

An ancient pole

standing

outdoors on the

Northwest Coast.

IndigenousFound

ations.arts.ubc.ca

A traditional rigging

used by the Gitksan

people to raise a free-

standing pole. Looking

At Totem Poles (p. 29)