Totem Poles

Totem poles are monuments hand-carved by indigenous people of the north west coast of North America to portray and commemorate family legends, culture, sacred or mythological beings. They are usually made from large trees, mostly western Red cedar .The word Totem signify Kinship group.

Located in the famous Stanley Park on Coast Salish territory (Canada), include totem poles from all over coastal British Columbia, including Haida, Salish, Kwakwaka'wakw, Nisga'a, and Nuu-chah-nulth designs. 









The totem pole designs that most people recognize today were, for the most part, developed in the last 200 years. Historians and other experts agree that totem pole carving did not reach its peak until the nineteenth century, when many coastal First Nations were involved in the fish and fur trade with Europeans.




There are various types of poles, each with their own purpose and function. Some poles are used to depict families , lineages , Memorial ,Welcoming or Legacy. Totem Poles can also be used as a means of healing and education. Totem poles are important expressions of specific Indigenous cultures .




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