Totem Pole Artwork: Meaning, Styles and Carving Techniques

Alright, let’s talk about them totem pole thingies, you know, the big wooden things with all the critters carved on ’em. I ain’t no fancy expert or nothin’, but I seen a few in my time, and they always got me thinkin’.

What are these totem pole thingies anyway? Well, from what I gather, they’re like big ol’ stories carved in wood. Indians up north, way up there by the ocean, they made ’em. Not like our Injuns ’round here, mind you. These fellers live way up yonder where it’s cold and wet, I hear.

Totem Pole Artwork: Meaning, Styles and Carving Techniques
  • They carve all sorts of animals and faces on these poles – birds, bears, frogs, you name it. Each one means somethin’, like a family mark or a story ’bout somethin’ that happened way back when.
  • Some poles are put up to ‘member someone who passed on, like a big ol’ tombstone, but way fancier.
  • Others are stuck right on the front of a house, like holdin’ up the roof, but with faces starin’ at ya. Kinda spooky, if you ask me.

How do they make them things? Well, it ain’t no easy job, that’s for sure. They gotta find a real big, tall tree, first off. Then they chop it down and haul it back, which must be a chore and a half. After that, they start carvin’.

They use these sharp tools, like knives but bigger, to carve out all them critters. It takes a long time, I bet. You gotta be real careful not to mess up, or you’ll ruin the whole darn thing. And they don’t just slap somethin’ together, neither. They plan it all out, what goes where and why. It’s like a puzzle, but with wood and sharp things.

What do all them critters mean? That’s the tricky part. Each animal and face means somethin’ different, dependin’ on the family or the story they’re tellin’. Like, a bear might mean strength, or a bird might mean somethin’ else. There’s this thunderbird thing too, looks like a big ol’ eagle, but meaner. I heard it’s real powerful.

Some poles show off how important a family is, like a big ol’ brag board, but made outta wood. If you got a real tall pole with lots of critters on it, you must be a big shot, I reckon.

Why do they still make ’em? Well, some folks still like to keep the old ways alive, I guess. It’s important to ‘member where you come from and who your people were. Plus, them poles are somethin’ to look at, ain’t they? Real works of art, even if I don’t always understand what they mean. And tourists like ’em, so that’s good for business, I hear.

Totem Pole Artwork: Meaning, Styles and Carving Techniques

It’s a shame some folks don’t care about these things no more. Youngsters these days, they’re all glued to them phones, they don’t pay no mind to the old ways. But them totem pole thingies, they’re a piece of history, standin’ tall and tellin’ stories, if you just listen.

So, next time you see a picture of one of them totem poles, or maybe even see one in person, take a minute to look at it. Think about all the work that went into makin’ it, and all the stories it’s tryin’ to tell. It’s more than just a hunk of wood, it’s a piece of someone’s heart and soul, carved out for all the world to see.

And that’s about all I know about them totem pole thingies. Like I said, I ain’t no expert, but I reckon they’re pretty special. Just a bunch of wood and stories, but they make you think, don’t they?

Tags: [Totem Pole, Native American Art, Wood Carving, Pacific Northwest, Indigenous Culture, Tribal Art, History, Symbolism, Tradition, Art]

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