Walk into any gift shop in the Pacific Northwest and you’ll see them. Little plastic trinkets. Keychains. Or maybe you've seen the massive, weathered cedar logs standing tall in Stanley Park or outside a museum in Ketchikan. We’ve all used the phrase "low man on the totem pole" to describe someone with no power. But honestly? That phrase is a total lie. It’s the first thing you have to unlearn if you want to understand the meaning of totem pole traditions.
In many Indigenous cultures, being at the bottom of the pole is actually a position of immense honor. Think about it. That figure has to support the entire weight of the structure. It’s the foundation.
Totem poles aren't just art. They aren't religious idols to be worshipped, which was a huge misconception held by early Christian missionaries who, frankly, went on a bit of a destructive tear because they didn't understand what they were looking at. These are crests. They’re legal documents carved in wood. They are histories, shame markers, and memorials. If you’re looking for a simple definition, you won’t find one. The meaning changes based on who carved it, why they carved it, and which nation—Haida, Tlingit, Coast Salish, Kwakwaka’wakw—the pole belongs to.
It’s All About the Story, Not the Spirit
Let’s get one thing straight. Native Americans of the Pacific coast didn't "worship" these poles. When European explorers arrived, they saw these towering figures and assumed they were gods. They weren't.
Anthropologist Franz Boas, who spent a massive amount of time with the Kwakwaka’wakw people in the late 19th century, noted that these poles functioned more like a coat of arms. If you were a high-ranking family, you didn't just tell people you were important. You showed them. You carved your lineage into a giant red cedar tree.
The figures you see—the Raven, the Bear, the Whale, the Thunderbird—represent specific ancestors or supernatural beings that interacted with those ancestors. It’s a family tree that screams, "This is who we are, and this is why we have the right to this land and these stories."
The Six Types of Totem Poles You’ll Actually Encounter
Most people think a totem pole is just... a totem pole. But there are distinct categories.
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First, there’s the House Frontal Pole. These are the ones that actually double as an entrance. You’d literally crawl through the mouth of a carved figure to enter the longhouse. It’s a powerful metaphor for entering the belly of an ancestor’s story.
Then you have Mortuary Poles. These are somber. They were created to hold the remains of a deceased chief or high-ranking individual. A small box containing the ashes or remains was placed into a niche at the top of the pole. These poles usually feature a single crest of the deceased.
Memorial Poles are similar but they don't hold remains. They honor a life lived. Usually, they’re raised one year after a person has passed away.
Heraldic Poles (or House Poles) stand inside or outside a house and tell the history of the clan.
Potlatch Poles are maybe the most famous because they’re tied to the Potlatch ceremony. These were raised to commemorate a massive giveaway of wealth. In Indigenous culture, status isn't about how much you keep; it's about how much you give away. The pole serves as a permanent receipt of that generosity.
Lastly, and these are my personal favorite, are the Shame Poles.
The Art of the Public Call-Out
Imagine being so annoyed with someone that you carve a 40-foot tall statue of them just to tell everyone they’re a deadbeat. That is a Shame Pole.
These were carved to embarrass individuals or groups who failed to pay a debt or violated a treaty. One of the most famous examples is the "Seward Pole" in Saxman, Alaska. It was carved to shame U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward for failing to reciprocate the hospitality of the Tlingit people after a potlatch was held in his honor.
The figures on these poles are often depicted in humiliating ways. Sometimes they’re carved upside down. Once the debt was paid or the wrong was righted, the pole was usually taken down or ignored. But until then? Everyone who walked by knew exactly what you did. It’s the original "cancel culture," but with more craftsmanship and way more cedar.
Why the Wood Matters: The Red Cedar
You can’t talk about the meaning of totem pole carvings without talking about Thuja plicata—the Western Red Cedar. To the Indigenous peoples of the coast, this tree is the "Tree of Life."
Red cedar is naturally rot-resistant. It’s straight-grained and easy to carve with the right tools. But a carver doesn't just hack away at a tree. Traditionally, there’s a spiritual protocol. You ask the tree for permission. You acknowledge its life before you take it.
The process of carving can take months, sometimes a year. Master carvers like the late Bill Reid (a Haida artist whose work is world-renowned) or Robert Davidson have brought this art form into the modern era, blending traditional shapes—called "formline" art—with contemporary messages.
Reading a Pole: The Vocabulary of Formline
Ever notice how the eyes on a totem pole look like ovals? Or how the joints are marked with "U" shapes? This isn't just a stylistic choice. It’s a sophisticated design system called formline.
Bill Holm, a legendary art historian, literally wrote the book on this in 1965. He identified the primary elements: the Ovoid, the U-form, and the S-form.
- Ovoids are usually used for eyes, joints, or to fill space.
- U-forms create the contours of the body or feathers.
- S-forms connect the different parts of the design.
Everything is connected. There’s rarely any "dead space" on a high-quality pole. The shapes flow into one another, suggesting that all living things are intertwined. When you look at a Raven on a pole, you aren't just seeing a bird; you’re seeing a collection of geometric shapes that represent the bird’s essence.
The Dark Period: When Poles Were Banned
There’s a reason many totem poles you see in museums look old and weathered. For a long time, the tradition was nearly wiped out.
Between 1884 and 1951, the Canadian government banned the Potlatch. Since totem poles were almost always raised during these ceremonies, the carving of poles essentially stopped. Missionaries encouraged people to chop them down or sell them to collectors.
This is why "totem pole parks" in places like Victoria or Vancouver are so significant. They represent a reclamation. In the 1950s, artists like Mungo Martin began a massive effort to restore old poles and carve new ones, ensuring the knowledge wasn't lost to the graveyard of history.
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What People Get Wrong: The "Low Man" Myth
Back to that "low man" thing. If you take one thing away from this, let it be the fact that the most important figure is often at eye level or at the base.
In some traditions, the most important crest is at the top to be closer to the sky. In others, it's at the bottom because that’s the figure that "holds up" the family. There is no universal "hierarchy of height."
Also, totem poles are not "tribal" in the way people use the word to describe anything vaguely "primitive." The cultures that create them are highly structured, complex societies with strict legal codes and class systems. Calling a pole a "tribal stick" is like calling the Magna Carta a "doodle."
Meaning of Totem Pole Symbols
Each animal has a specific meaning, though these can vary between clans.
- The Raven: The trickster. He’s the one who stole the sun and gave light to the world. He’s curious, mischievous, and often used to explain how the world became the way it is.
- The Bear: A symbol of strength and family. You’ll often see a Mother Bear with her cubs.
- The Eagle: Represents wisdom, power, and a connection to the divine.
- The Frog: A sign of prosperity and a bridge between the land and the water.
- The Killer Whale (Orca): A symbol of dignity and the guardian of the sea.
Respectful Observation: Can You Own One?
This is a tricky area. Many Indigenous artists sell smaller carvings, masks, and prints. Buying directly from an artist is a great way to support the continuation of the craft.
However, "totem poles" sold in mass-market souvenir shops are often knock-offs made in factories overseas. These have no cultural value and, frankly, are pretty disrespectful to the artists who spend decades perfecting the formline technique.
If you want to experience the real thing, visit a site like Ninstints (SGang Gwaay) in the Haida Gwaii islands. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site where original poles still stand, slowly returning to the earth. That’s another thing—traditionally, poles aren't supposed to be "preserved" forever with chemicals. They have a life cycle. They are carved, they stand, they weather, and eventually, they fall and rot, nourishing the ground for new cedars to grow.
How to Appreciate Totem Poles Today
If you find yourself standing in front of a real pole, don't just snap a selfie and walk away. Look at the details.
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- Check the carving depth. Deep carving usually indicates a more traditional or labor-intensive style.
- Look for the "adze" marks. A real hand-carved pole will have tiny texture marks from the adze tool, rather than being perfectly smooth like a machine-sanded piece of furniture.
- Research the artist. Most modern poles have a plaque nearby. Look up the carver. See what nation they belong to.
- Support authentic art. If you’re looking to purchase Northwest Coast art, look for galleries that certify the Indigenous heritage of the artist. The Indian Arts and Crafts Act in the U.S. and similar ethical guidelines in Canada help ensure your money supports the right people.
To truly understand the meaning of totem pole traditions, you have to see them as living history. They aren't relics of a dead past; they are declarations of a vibrant, surviving present. Next time you see one, remember: you aren't looking at a statue. You're looking at a story that someone was willing to spend a year of their life pulling out of a tree.