"Storytelling Through Colour and Imagery; Totem Polls" - Grade 3 students

"...While totem poles are thought by many to be a symbol of Native culture, generally their production was limited to six tribes in B.C. and southeastern Alaska – the tribes which carved totems were the Bella Coola; Haida; Kwakiutl; Tlingit; Tsimshian and West Coast. Pole carving flourished in the 19th century. Totems were a sign of the success and wealth of the native cultures that evolved along the coast... "

"... They celebrated legends, events or simply the wealth and crest of the family for whom it was created. Totems had no religious significance hence were not worshipped, however they were well respected. They were records of the past in a culture that had no written language. Totem pole stories and symbols were shared only with the pole’s owner, the carver of the totem and whomever they chose to tell. Each tribe had its own style... "