Totem Pole

Totem pole A Gitxsan pole (left) and Kwakwaka'wakw pole (right) at Thunderbird Park in Victoria, Canada. Totem poles (Haida: gyáaʼaang) [1] are monumental carvings found in western Canada and the northwestern United States. They are a type of Indigenous Northwest Coast art, consisting of poles, posts or pillars, carved with symbols or figures.

Learn about totem poles, carved and painted logs that represent the symbols and stories of the Native Americans of the Northwest Coast. Find out the different kinds of totem poles, their functions, and how to interpret their animal images and legends. Ketchikan, Alaska is known as the "totem pole capital of the world" with over 80 poles.

Totem poles are unique to the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest and represent family history. Learn about the origins, types, and functions of totem poles, the cultural icons of the Pacific Northwest tribes. See photos of totem poles from different regions, eras, and styles, and discover their stories and significance.

Learn about the history, meaning, and types of totem poles, the iconic wooden sculptures of the Pacific Northwest Potlatch culture. Explore the stories, symbols, and artists behind these community creations, and how to appreciate them today. Learn about the history, types and meanings of totem poles, sculptures carved by indigenous people of North America.

Explore the images, design your own totem pole and find out your spirit animal. The carvings on totem poles often depict animals, mythical creatures, and important figures from the tribe's history. Each figure on the pole has a specific meaning or represents a part of a story.

For example, an eagle might symbolize strength and leadership, while a raven could represent a trickster or a creator figure. Learn about the history, culture, and art of totem poles, the monuments created by First Nations of the Pacific Northwest. Explore the different types, carving techniques, and regional variations of totem poles, and their significance in cultural revitalization.

These totem poles are symbols of a community's history, values, and traditions, but not the base of a religion. Each aspect of a totem pole is as important and individualized as the animal it is based on. The four clans that have a particularly rich history involving the totem pole are the Eyak, Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian cultures.

Totem poles in front of houses in Alert Bay, British Columbia in the 1900s. The disruptions following Euro.