Totem poles were carved by Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest out of giant cedar trees to represent tribes, clans, families or individuals. They used symbols of animals and birds to tell stories and pass down history. Carving a totem pole was an honor and could take years to complete. Once carved, the poles were painted with natural dyes and erected, standing as tall as 60 feet. The document concludes by having students each represent themselves by drawing an animal to contribute to a class totem pole project.

1. Totem Poles
Art of the Pacific
Northwest Natives

2. What is a totem pole?
• A totem pole is a
piece of artwork that
was originally created
by the Native
Americans of the
Pacific Northwest.

3. What is a totem pole?
• Totem poles were carved out of
giant cedar trees by the Northwest
Coastal Indians.
• A totem pole is kind of like a book
you could read, but instead of using
words it uses symbols of
animals/birds.
• Totem poles were used as a way of
passing down stories.

4. What is a totem pole?
• Totem poles were used
to represent a tribe,
clan, family, or person.
• Having a totem pole
was a great honor and
often families would
trade all their
possessions to have
one.

6. How were they carved?
• After a tree was cut down, carvers would
begin at the top and work their way down.
• A totem pole could be big
or small. A large totem pole
might be more than 60 feet
high and could take two to
three years to carve!
• Once carved, poles were
painted with natural paints
and were most often black,
red, blue, green, and white.

8. Your totem pole piece
• Together we will create a set of
class totem poles!
• Each student will select an
animal that they think best
represents themselves.
• They will create a stylized
drawing of the animal, and
then paint their own piece of
the pole!

10. Eagle

11. Killer Whale

12. Salmon

13. Bear

14. Owl

15. Wolf

16. Raven and Moon

18. Owl