What are the totem poles?

Wooden Wonders

The early Nootka people were Native Americans who lived on the Pacific Coast of North America near thick forests. The grandest trees in the forests were red cedars. They grew as tall as 20-story buildings and their wood outlasted most other woods. The Nootka used red cedar logs to carve their totem poles.

Totem poles stood in front of family houses. They served as a sort of address and a family history. The animal and human figures on the poles stood for great deeds in the family’s past. The height of the pole and the detail of its carvings showed how rich the family was.

To make a totem pole, the carvers laid a red cedar trunk on its side. First, they peeled off the bark and the green wood beneath. Next, they used charcoal to etch designs into the log. Then they chopped out rough forms with a tool called an elbow adz. Another type of adz is used like a chisel to smooth the rough forms.

Finally, they cut out the details with a curved knife. The Nootka artists soaked the wood in hot water to keep it soft and workable while carving.

Picture Credit : Google