Belief & Identity

The Totem Pole: A Family Tree Carved in Cedar

⏱ 45 minutes 🎓 Primary & Secondary 📚 history, art, ethics, citizenship, language

Core question What does a tall carved cedar log actually mean — and how can a pole that is sometimes called 'pagan' or 'mysterious' really be a coat of arms, a family history, and a community newspaper, all in one?

A totem pole at Sitka National Historical Park, Alaska. Carved from a single western red cedar log, the figures show clan crests and family histories of the Tlingit, Haida, or other Pacific Northwest peoples who created it. Photo: The original uploader was Lordkinbote at English Wikipedia. / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.5

Introduction

Most people have seen a totem pole. Most people misunderstand it. The popular image is something like this: a tall, mysterious carved log used by 'Native Americans' generally, possibly worshipped, possibly magical, possibly to do with spirits. Almost everything in this picture is wrong. Totem poles were carved by specific Indigenous nations of the Pacific Northwest Coast — the Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Kwakwaka'wakw, Nuxalk, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Coast Salish peoples — in what is now British Columbia, southeastern Alaska, and parts of Washington State. They were not used by Plains nations, by the Iroquois, by the Cherokee, or by most of the hundreds of other Indigenous nations of North America. The poles are not religious idols. They are not worshipped. They are not used in shamanic rituals. They are heraldic — like the coats of arms of European noble families, or the crests on Scottish clan tartans. Each pole shows the crests, ancestors, family stories, and history of a specific clan or family. To a person who knows the visual language, a totem pole is a readable document. To outsiders, it just looks dramatic. The word 'totem' itself comes from the Algonquian word 'odoodem' meaning 'his kinship group' — it was applied by outsiders to the Pacific Northwest poles, even though Algonquian-speaking peoples lived far to the east and did not carve such poles. In Haida, the poles are called 'gyáaʼaang', which roughly translates as 'the man stands up straight'. The poles are made from western red cedar, a tree that is sacred and central to Pacific Northwest cultures. A single cedar trunk becomes a pole. The carving is done by trained carvers, often from specific lineages of carvers, working with traditional tools (and now also chainsaws and modern chisels). Each figure is a crest. The crests stack vertically. Together, they tell a story about who this family is, where they come from, and what events matter to them. This lesson asks who carved totem poles, what they actually mean, and how the tradition survived 70 years of colonial bans only to come back stronger than ever.

The object

Origin: The Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. Carved by Indigenous nations including the Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Kwakwaka'wakw, Nuxalk, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Coast Salish peoples. The Haida of Haida Gwaii (in present-day British Columbia) are widely credited as the originators of the monumental pole tradition.
Period: Wooden poles have probably been carved for over a thousand years, but only since the 1700s do we have written records and surviving examples. The 1800s were the peak period for elaborate carving. Carving was banned by the Canadian Potlatch Law (1885) and US policies, then revived from the 1950s onwards. The tradition is alive and growing today.
Made of: Almost always western red cedar (Thuja plicata), which is rot-resistant, splits cleanly, and is sacred to many Pacific Northwest peoples. The pole is carved from a single tree trunk, sometimes 15 metres or more tall. Traditional pigments include iron oxide (red), graphite (black), copper (blue-green), and white from clay or shell.
Size: Most totem poles are between 3 and 18 metres tall, though some reach over 20 metres. The world's tallest is in Alert Bay, British Columbia, at over 53 metres. A typical pole is carved from a single trunk over a metre across at the base.
Number of objects: Hundreds of historical totem poles survive in museums and at original sites; thousands of new poles have been carved since the 1950s revival. Major collections include the Royal British Columbia Museum, the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia, the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, the Totem Heritage Center in Ketchikan, Alaska, and Sitka National Historical Park in Alaska.
Where it is now: Standing in original villages, in modern Indigenous communities across the Pacific Northwest, in major museums, and in ceremonial spaces. Active carving studios continue in Haida Gwaii, Tlingit communities in Alaska, and across the Pacific Northwest. New poles are raised each year.

Before you teach this — reflect

Questions for you

The totem pole is one of the most misunderstood Indigenous objects in popular culture. How will you teach what it actually is, beyond stereotypes?
Pacific Northwest peoples are still here today, still carving. How will you teach this in present tense?
The poles were banned by Canadian and US governments for decades. How will you teach this honestly without making the lesson only about loss?

Common student difficulties — tick any you have noticed

My students may not know that totem poles were carved by specific Pacific Northwest peoples (Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Kwakwaka'wakw, Nuxalk, Nuu-chah-nulth, Coast Salish), not all Indigenous Americans.
My students may not know that totem poles are heraldic — like family coats of arms — not religious idols.
My students may not know that pole carving was banned in Canada under the Potlatch Law (1885-1951) and discouraged in the US, but the tradition survived in secret.
My students may not know that Haida carver Bill Reid (1920-1998) and others led a major revival of pole carving from the 1950s onwards.
My students may not know that some new totem poles are 'shame poles' — public memorials of injustice or unpaid debts. The Exxon Valdez shame pole at Cordova, Alaska, is a famous example.
My students may not know that the world's tallest totem pole, at Alert Bay, British Columbia, is over 53 metres tall.

Discovery sequence

Imagine you live in a Haida village on Haida Gwaii — the islands off the coast of present-day British Columbia — three hundred years ago. Your village sits along the shore. Cedar plank houses face the water. In front of each house stands a tall carved cedar pole. The poles are not random. Each one belongs to a specific family. The figures carved on it are crests — symbolic animals, ancestors, supernatural beings — that tell the story of that family's history. The Eagle clan has eagles on its poles. The Raven clan has ravens. The Killer Whale clan has killer whales. Each major clan has dozens of crests, accumulated over generations. When a pole is raised, the family holds a potlatch — a great feast where they invite other families, give away gifts, and tell the stories that the pole shows. The witnesses at the potlatch confirm the family's right to display these crests. Without the potlatch, the pole has no public authority. The poles are not worshipped. Nobody prays to them. Nobody sacrifices to them. They are simply there, like a public family record. A visitor who knows the language can read them. The figures are stylised but identifiable — eagles have hooked beaks, ravens have straight beaks, killer whales have dorsal fins, bears have round ears. Why might a community use carved poles instead of writing?

Points to consider (for the teacher)

Because the Pacific Northwest peoples did not have writing in the European sense, but they had complex systems for recording family history, property rights, and cultural identity. The pole is a visual record. Three things matter: First, the pole is permanent — once raised, it stands for decades, sometimes a century, until cedar finally decays. Second, the pole is public — it stands in front of the house, visible to everyone. Third, the pole is ceremonial — its meaning is fixed by the potlatch where it was raised, witnessed by other families. Compare with European heraldry: a coat of arms is also visual, also tied to a family, also recorded by witnesses, also displayed in public. The poles are the Pacific Northwest equivalent of the heraldic system, with one important difference — heraldry in Europe is mostly about wealth and military rank, while crests on the poles are mostly about ancestral stories and supernatural encounters. A Haida family's crests might come from a great-great-grandfather who married a woman who turned into a bear, or from a battle in which a clan adopted the killer whale as its symbol, or from a vision quest in which an ancestor encountered the Thunderbird. The crests are inherited. They cannot be invented. They cannot be borrowed without permission. Students should see that 'oral cultures' are not 'cultures without records'. Pacific Northwest peoples had detailed systems for recording history and identity. The totem pole is one of the clearest examples.

In 1885, the Canadian government passed a law banning the potlatch. The 'Potlatch Law' was part of a broader campaign to force Indigenous peoples to assimilate into European-Canadian society. The government and Christian missionaries believed potlatches were 'wasteful' (because of the giving away of property) and 'pagan' (because of the spiritual dimensions). They wanted them stopped. The ban was enforced. Indigenous people who held potlatches were arrested. Sacred objects were confiscated. In 1921, after a major potlatch on the Kwakwaka'wakw island of Village Island, dozens of people were arrested and sent to prison. Sacred regalia, masks, and other objects were taken away to museums in Ottawa, Toronto, and even New York. Without the potlatch, the totem pole tradition collapsed. New poles could not be properly raised. Old poles fell into decay. Master carvers had no work. Children were not taught the carving traditions. By the 1920s and 1930s, many people thought totem poles were a dying art. But the tradition did not die. Some families held secret potlatches. Some elders kept the carving knowledge alive in their memories and in private practice. Some communities — especially the Kwakwaka'wakw at the north end of Vancouver Island — continued to potlatch despite the law. In 1951, after 66 years, the Canadian government repealed the Potlatch Law. The tradition came back into the open. Master Haida carver Bill Reid (1920-1998) led a major revival. Reid had been raised in Victoria, learning his Haida heritage as an adult. He taught himself traditional carving, then trained other carvers. By the 1970s, new totem poles were being raised across the Pacific Northwest. The tradition was alive again. What does this teach us?

Points to consider (for the teacher)

Several things at once. First, that government bans on traditional practices are real and serious. The Potlatch Law was not a small thing — it was a deliberate attempt to break a cultural system. Second, that traditions can survive even severe pressure. The Pacific Northwest peoples kept their carving knowledge alive in secret for two generations. When the ban was lifted, the knowledge came back. Third, that revival is real work. Bill Reid and other revivalists had to relearn techniques that had partially been lost. They had to study old poles in museums (some of which had been confiscated from their own communities). They had to test materials, develop apprentices, teach the next generation. The revival is now in its third generation. New carvers like Jim Hart, Robert Davidson, Beau Dick (1955-2017), and many others have built on Reid's work. Today there are more totem poles being carved than at any time since the 1880s. The tradition is not just preserved — it is growing. Students should see that 'living tradition' often has to fight to stay alive. The poles standing today are not just art objects. They are the achievement of generations of people who refused to let their culture be erased.

Not all totem poles tell happy stories. Some are 'shame poles' — public memorials of unpaid debts, broken promises, or injustices. Shame poles were a traditional way for one family or clan to publicly criticise another. The figures on a shame pole are usually clearly identifiable as the person being shamed, often shown with exaggerated features. One famous shame pole is the Seward Pole at Saxman, Alaska. It was originally carved around 1885 to shame William H. Seward, the US Secretary of State who had bought Alaska from Russia in 1867. Seward visited Alaska in 1869 and was hosted by Tlingit chiefs, but he did not reciprocate the generosity expected by potlatch tradition. The Tlingit carved a pole showing him with red-painted nose and ears (perhaps symbolising drunkenness or stinginess) to publicly mark his failure. Another famous shame pole is the Exxon Valdez pole at Cordova, Alaska, carved by Tlingit fisherman Mike Webber in 2007. The pole shames the Exxon corporation for the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, one of the worst environmental disasters in North American history. The spill devastated fisheries and Tlingit communities along Prince William Sound. Webber's pole shows Exxon executives with frowning faces and the company's broken promises. Shame poles are a real part of the tradition. They show that totem poles are not just family history — they are also public commentary, capable of holding power accountable. Why might a community choose to make a shame pole?

Points to consider (for the teacher)

Because public memory matters. A shame pole turns an injustice into a permanent visible record. It cannot be quietly forgotten. It cannot be disputed without confronting the pole itself. The Seward Pole has been criticising US relations with Alaska Native peoples since the 1880s. The Exxon Valdez pole continues to remind viewers of corporate failure 35 years after the spill. Compare with other forms of public memorialisation: war memorials, civil rights monuments, Holocaust memorials. Each makes loss or injustice visible to future generations. Shame poles do something similar but with a sharper edge — they name specific people and specific failures. In some cultures, this would be called 'naming and shaming'. In Pacific Northwest tradition, it is just one of many things a pole can do. Students should see that 'totem pole' is not one thing. It is a family of related objects with different functions: heraldic poles for clans, mortuary poles for important deceased people, welcome poles for visitors, shame poles for accountability. Each does different cultural work. The visual language is shared but the message varies.

Today, totem pole carving is more active than at any time in the past century. Major commissions are completed every year. Pacific Northwest universities, governments, and Indigenous communities are sponsoring new poles. Old poles are being repaired or replaced. Stolen poles are being returned home — the G'psgolox pole, taken from the Haisla people in 1929, was returned from a museum in Stockholm in 2006 after a 15-year campaign. Master carvers train apprentices. Bill Reid (Haida, 1920-1998) trained Jim Hart, who became hereditary chief of the 7Idansuu (Eagle) clan. Robert Davidson (Haida, born 1946) trained dozens of carvers. Beau Dick (Kwakwaka'wakw, 1955-2017) was a major carver and Indigenous rights activist. Calvin Hunt, Stan Bevan, and many others continue the tradition. New poles are also rising in places where they had not been before. The Cherokee, Anishinaabe, and other nations have sometimes commissioned poles, even though pole carving was not their traditional practice. This raises real questions in the Pacific Northwest community about whose tradition the poles belong to. The poles are also being used for new purposes. The 'Reconciliation Pole' raised at the University of British Columbia in 2017, carved by Jim Hart, depicts the history of First Nations relations with Canada — including residential schools, broken treaties, and current movements for justice. It is a 17-metre traditional pole with copper nails representing the children who died in residential schools. What is the totem pole today?

Points to consider (for the teacher)

A living, expanding tradition. Carved by Pacific Northwest masters and their apprentices. Used for family heraldry, public memorials, political statements, and cultural revival. Standing in original villages, on Indigenous land, in universities, in city centres, in private collections. Returning home from museums where they were taken during the colonial period. Being raised every year in new ceremonies, with new potlatches. The Pacific Northwest peoples are alive and growing. Their populations are recovering after centuries of decline. Their languages are being revived (after near-extinction in some cases). Their carving traditions are stronger than they have been since the 1880s. Modern poles often combine traditional crests with contemporary imagery — figures of residential school survivors, environmental justice symbols, modern leaders. The tradition is not frozen in the past. It is responding to the present. End the discovery here. Right now, in a workshop on Haida Gwaii or in Tlingit Alaska, a carver is shaping cedar with chisels. The pole will rise this year or next year. The story will continue.

What this object teaches

A totem pole is a tall carved cedar pole made by Indigenous nations of the Pacific Northwest Coast — the Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Kwakwaka'wakw, Nuxalk, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Coast Salish peoples — in what is now British Columbia, southeastern Alaska, and Washington State. The poles are heraldic, not religious — they show the crests, ancestors, and stories of specific families and clans, similar to European coats of arms. Each pole is raised at a potlatch, a ceremonial feast where the family gives gifts and the carved crests are publicly witnessed. The poles are made from western red cedar, a tree sacred to Pacific Northwest cultures. There are different types: heraldic poles for clans, mortuary poles for important deceased people, welcome poles for visitors, and shame poles that publicly criticise unpaid debts or injustices. The tradition was nearly destroyed by the Canadian Potlatch Law (1885-1951) and similar US policies, which banned the ceremonies needed to raise poles. The tradition survived in secret and was revived from the 1950s onwards, led by master Haida carver Bill Reid (1920-1998) and other artists. Today, more totem poles are being carved than at any time since the 1880s. Famous examples include the world's tallest at Alert Bay (over 53 metres), the Seward shame pole at Saxman, Alaska, the Exxon Valdez shame pole at Cordova, Alaska, and the Reconciliation Pole at the University of British Columbia. Stolen poles are being returned home from museums abroad. The tradition is living, growing, and adapting. Common misconceptions: totem poles are not used by all Indigenous Americans (only by specific Pacific Northwest peoples); they are not worshipped; they are not 'pagan' in any meaningful sense.

Question	What many people assume	What is actually true
Who carves totem poles?	All Native Americans	Specific Pacific Northwest peoples — Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Kwakwaka'wakw, Nuxalk, Nuu-chah-nulth, Coast Salish
What is a totem pole for?	Religious worship	Heraldic family record, similar to a European coat of arms
Are the figures gods?	Yes	No — they are crests representing ancestors, animals, supernatural beings, and family stories
How old is the tradition?	Ancient	Wooden poles probably go back over 1,000 years; the elaborate forms we know today peaked in the 1800s
Was the tradition broken by colonisation?	It just continued	It was banned in Canada (1885-1951) and discouraged in the US; survived in secret; revived from the 1950s
Are new totem poles being carved?	Only old ones still exist	More poles are being carved today than at any time since the 1880s

Key words

Haida

An Indigenous nation of the Pacific Northwest, traditionally based on the islands of Haida Gwaii (formerly called the Queen Charlotte Islands) in present-day British Columbia, Canada. Widely credited as the originators of the monumental totem pole tradition. About 5,000 Haida people today.

Example: In 2010, the islands of Haida Gwaii were officially renamed from the Queen Charlotte Islands to their Haida name, recognising Haida sovereignty over their ancestral lands. The Haida call totem poles 'gyáaʼaang'.

Tlingit

An Indigenous nation of the Pacific Northwest, traditionally based in southeastern Alaska. Tlingit people make totem poles ('kootéeyaa') in their own distinct style. About 17,000 Tlingit people today, with active cultural communities.

Example: The K'alyaan totem pole at Sitka National Historical Park, Alaska, commemorates Tlingit lives lost in the 1804 Battle of Sitka against Russian colonial forces. It is a famous historical pole that has been replaced and renewed several times.

Potlatch

A ceremonial feast held by Pacific Northwest peoples to mark important events — births, deaths, marriages, the raising of a totem pole, the transfer of names and titles. Hosts give away large amounts of property to guests; the giving establishes status and witness.

Example: The Canadian Potlatch Law (1885-1951) banned this practice. After the law was repealed, potlatches were openly held again. Today, potlatches are held to mark the raising of new totem poles, among many other events.

Crest

A symbolic figure that represents a clan, family, ancestor, or supernatural being on a totem pole. Each Pacific Northwest clan has rights to specific crests. Crests cannot be used by other clans without permission. Common crests include eagles, ravens, killer whales, bears, frogs, wolves, and Thunderbirds.

Example: The Haida have two main moieties (clan groupings): Eagle and Raven. Within each, there are many subclans, each with its own crests. The Killer Whale crest belongs to specific subclans within the Raven moiety.

Bill Reid

A master Haida carver (1920-1998) who led the modern revival of totem pole carving and other Pacific Northwest art traditions. Born in Victoria, British Columbia, of Haida and Scottish descent. Worked initially as a CBC radio broadcaster before becoming a full-time artist.

Example: Reid's most famous works include 'The Spirit of Haida Gwaii' — a large bronze sculpture at the Vancouver International Airport — and the totem pole 'Three Watchmen', now at the University of British Columbia. His face appears on the Canadian $20 banknote.

Western red cedar

Thuja plicata, the tree species used to carve totem poles. Native to the Pacific Northwest. Sacred to many Indigenous nations of the region. Tall, straight, rot-resistant, splits cleanly along the grain. Also used for canoes, plank houses, ceremonial regalia, and bark clothing.

Example: A single mature western red cedar can grow over 60 metres tall and 4 metres wide at the base. Some living trees are over 1,000 years old. The Haida call the cedar tree 'tsuu' and consider it a sister tree.

Use this in other subjects

History: Build a class timeline: Pacific Northwest peoples carve poles for centuries (probably from at least 1000 CE), first European contact (1700s), peak elaborate carving with iron tools (1800s), Potlatch Law in Canada (1885), revival begins (1950s), Bill Reid leads new generation, G'psgolox pole returned from Stockholm (2006), Reconciliation Pole raised (2017). The story spans more than a thousand years.
Geography: On a class map of North America, mark the Pacific Northwest Coast region — coastal British Columbia, southeastern Alaska, and northwestern Washington State. Identify the territories of the major totem pole nations: Haida (Haida Gwaii), Tlingit (southeast Alaska), Tsimshian (northern BC), Kwakwaka'wakw (northern Vancouver Island), Nuu-chah-nulth (western Vancouver Island), Coast Salish (southern BC and Washington State).
Art: Each Pacific Northwest crest is highly stylised. The 'formline' design system uses ovoids, U-forms, S-forms, and curved lines to depict animals and figures. Each student designs a personal 'crest' on paper, choosing one symbol that means something to them, in a stylised, simplified form. Discuss: each crest on a pole works the same way.
Citizenship: The Canadian Potlatch Law banned an Indigenous tradition for 66 years. Discuss: what happens when a government tries to suppress a culture? Compare with other examples — the suppression of Indigenous languages in residential schools (Canada, US, Australia), the banning of Welsh in schools, the Soviet suppression of religious practice. Cultural bans rarely fully succeed.
Ethics: Many old totem poles are in museums abroad, taken during the colonial period. The G'psgolox pole was returned from Stockholm in 2006 after a 15-year campaign. Discuss: what are the responsibilities of museums today? Compare with debates over the Benin Bronzes, the Parthenon Marbles, and Ethiopian processional crosses (which appears in another lesson in this collection).
Language: The word 'totem' comes from Algonquian — a language family from the eastern Great Lakes region, far from the Pacific Northwest. So 'totem pole' is itself a colonial misnaming. Each Pacific Northwest people has its own term — Haida 'gyáaʼaang', Tlingit 'kootéeyaa', Tsimshian 'pts'aan'. Discuss: how do colonial languages name things, and what gets lost?

Common misconceptions

Wrong

All Native American peoples carved totem poles.

Right

Totem poles were carved by specific Pacific Northwest peoples — Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Kwakwaka'wakw, Nuxalk, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Coast Salish. The hundreds of other Indigenous nations of North America had their own traditions, mostly very different. Plains nations had tipis. Eastern Woodlands peoples had longhouses. Iroquois had wampum. None of these involved totem poles.

Why

Lumping all Indigenous peoples together erases real diversity. The Pacific Northwest Coast is one specific region with its own specific traditions.

Wrong

Totem poles are religious objects worshipped by their carvers.

Right

Totem poles are heraldic, like European family coats of arms. They show crests, ancestors, and stories. Nobody prays to them. Nobody worships them. Christian missionaries in the 1800s often misunderstood them as 'pagan idols' and used this misunderstanding to justify suppressing the tradition.

Why

Treating sacred-but-not-worshipped objects as religious idols is a common mistake when one culture looks at another.

Wrong

The totem pole tradition is dying or already dead.

Right

The tradition is alive and growing. More totem poles are being carved today than at any time since the 1880s. Master carvers train apprentices. New poles are raised each year. The Pacific Northwest peoples are alive and active.

Why

Predicting the death of Indigenous traditions is a way of dismissing them. The Pacific Northwest carving tradition is thriving.

Wrong

Totem poles are ancient and unchanging.

Right

The tradition has changed over time. Wooden poles probably go back over 1,000 years, but the elaborate carving we know today peaked in the 1800s, after iron tools were available from European traders. The tradition has continued to evolve, with modern poles using contemporary themes alongside traditional ones.

Why

Treating Indigenous traditions as 'frozen' or 'unchanging' is a way of denying them their own history. The tradition has always evolved.

Teaching this with care

Treat Pacific Northwest peoples as living nations in the present tense. Use the specific names (Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Kwakwaka'wakw, Nuxalk, Nuu-chah-nulth, Coast Salish) rather than generic 'Indigenous' or 'Native American' wherever possible. Pronounce 'Haida' as 'HY-dah' or 'HY-duh'; 'Tlingit' as 'KLINK-it' (the Tl is closer to a kl sound in English, though in Tlingit it is a distinctive lateral sound); 'Tsimshian' as 'SIM-shee-an' or 'CHIM-shee-an'; 'Kwakwaka'wakw' as 'kwak-wak-ya-wak'; 'Nuu-chah-nulth' as 'NOO-chuh-nulth'; 'Haida Gwaii' as 'HY-dah GWY-ee'; 'gyáaʼaang' as roughly 'gyah-AHNG'; 'potlatch' as 'POT-lach'. Avoid the word 'tribe' for Pacific Northwest peoples — 'nation' or 'First Nation' (in Canada) is preferred. Avoid generic 'Indians' — even 'American Indian' is preferred over plain 'Indian', and most Pacific Northwest peoples prefer their specific nation name. The Potlatch Law and US policies were real attempts at cultural genocide. Do not soften this. The poles taken to museums during this period were often taken without proper consent. Restitution is an active process. Be respectful of crest ownership. Specific crests belong to specific clans, not to 'all Pacific Northwest peoples'. Showing a crest does not give you the right to use it. Some Pacific Northwest peoples are uncomfortable with non-Indigenous students drawing their crests in art class. Consider this when designing classroom activities — perhaps have students design their own personal crest in their own style, rather than copying Pacific Northwest crests. Be careful with the term 'totem pole' itself, since it is a colonial term. Acknowledge this. Use the term 'totem pole' (since most students will recognise it) but mention the original names. Avoid the lazy 'noble savage' or 'mysterious Native' framings. Pacific Northwest peoples are modern people with modern lives, including doctors, lawyers, teachers, businesspeople, and government officials. Avoid presenting them only as 'traditional' figures. If you have students of Pacific Northwest or other Indigenous heritage, give them space to share but do not put them on the spot. Their families may have specific stories or relationships to the tradition that are not yours to tell. The relationship between totem poles and the wider Indigenous experience is complex. Some Indigenous peoples from outside the Pacific Northwest have adopted totem pole imagery as a generic 'Indigenous' symbol, which Pacific Northwest peoples sometimes find frustrating. Mention this as a real issue. End the lesson on the present. Carvers are working today. New poles are rising. The story continues.

Check what students have understood

Answer each question in one or two sentences. Use what you have learned about the totem pole.

Which Indigenous peoples traditionally carve totem poles?

Pacific Northwest Coast peoples — including the Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Kwakwaka'wakw, Nuxalk, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Coast Salish — in what is now British Columbia, southeastern Alaska, and Washington State. Other Indigenous American peoples have their own traditions and do not traditionally carve totem poles.

Marking note: Award full marks for any answer that names at least three of the specific peoples and recognises that not all Indigenous Americans carve totem poles.
What does a totem pole actually do?

It is a heraldic record, like a European family coat of arms. It shows crests, ancestors, and stories of a specific family or clan. The figures are not worshipped. They are public symbols of family identity and history.

Marking note: Strong answers will mention both the heraldic function and the fact that it is not religious worship.
Why was the tradition nearly destroyed?

The Canadian government banned the potlatch — the ceremony needed to raise poles — from 1885 to 1951. The US discouraged similar practices. Without potlatches, new poles could not be properly raised. The tradition declined dramatically. But it survived in secret and was revived from the 1950s onwards.

Marking note: Award full marks for any answer that mentions the Potlatch Law (or a similar legal ban) and the eventual survival of the tradition.
Who was Bill Reid, and why is he important?

Bill Reid (1920-1998) was a master Haida carver who led the modern revival of totem pole carving and other Pacific Northwest art traditions. He taught a generation of carvers. His face appears on the Canadian $20 banknote. His sculpture 'The Spirit of Haida Gwaii' is at Vancouver International Airport.

Marking note: Strong answers will mention his role in the revival and at least one specific achievement.
What is a 'shame pole'?

A type of totem pole that publicly criticises someone for unpaid debts, broken promises, or injustices. The Seward Pole at Saxman, Alaska, shamed William H. Seward for not reciprocating Tlingit hospitality. The Exxon Valdez Pole at Cordova, Alaska, shamed Exxon for the 1989 oil spill. Shame poles show that totem poles are not just family heraldry — they can also hold power accountable.

Marking note: Award full marks for any answer that explains the function and gives at least one example.

Discuss together

These questions have no single right answer. Talk in pairs or small groups, then share your ideas with the class.

Many old totem poles are in museums abroad, taken during the colonial period. Should they be returned?

This is a real ongoing debate. Arguments for return: the poles are sacred or culturally important to specific communities; they were often taken without proper consent; the communities want them back. Arguments against immediate return: museums argue they protect objects that might decay outside; they make objects accessible to a global public. The G'psgolox pole was returned from Stockholm in 2006 after a 15-year campaign — it is now in the care of the Haisla nation. Other return cases are ongoing. Strong answers will see the parallel with the Benin Bronzes, the Parthenon Marbles, and Ethiopian processional crosses (in another lesson in this collection). End by saying that thoughtful people disagree, but the trend is toward more returns.
The Canadian Potlatch Law banned an Indigenous tradition for 66 years, but the tradition survived. What does this teach us about cultural survival?

Push students to think about resilience. They may suggest: the law could not reach into private spaces; some elders kept knowledge alive; communities adapted; revival required generations of careful work. The deeper point is that 'cultural genocide' rarely fully succeeds when communities actively resist. Compare with other examples — the survival of Welsh, Irish, and Scottish Gaelic against English suppression; the survival of Yiddish despite the Holocaust; the survival of Hebrew despite 2,000 years of dispersion; the survival of Quechua despite Spanish suppression. Strong answers will see that survival is not automatic — it requires active work by every generation.
Some Indigenous peoples from outside the Pacific Northwest have adopted totem pole imagery, even though pole carving was not their traditional practice. Is this acceptable?

This is a complicated question within Indigenous communities. Arguments for: pan-Indigenous solidarity is important; modern Indigenous peoples can choose to share traditions; rigid boundaries of 'who carves poles' can themselves be colonial. Arguments against: each Indigenous tradition deserves to be respected for what it specifically is; using Pacific Northwest imagery to represent 'all Native peoples' erases the actual diversity; some Pacific Northwest peoples find it frustrating. The deeper point is that this is a real ongoing debate within Indigenous communities, and outsiders should listen rather than take sides. End by saying that respecting cultural specificity is generally better than treating all Indigenous traditions as interchangeable.

Teaching sequence

THE HOOK (5 min)

Without saying anything about the lesson, ask: 'What do you think a totem pole is?' Take answers — they will probably mention worship, gods, magic, all Native peoples. Then say: 'Almost all of that is wrong. A totem pole is a family record, like a coat of arms. It is made by specific Pacific Northwest peoples, not all Native Americans. We are going to find out about it.'
INTRODUCE THE OBJECT (10 min)

Describe the totem pole: tall cedar log, carved with figures stacked vertically, each figure a crest representing a clan or family member. Made by Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Kwakwaka'wakw, Nuxalk, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Coast Salish peoples. Pause and ask: 'Why might a community want a tall public record like this?' Listen to answers.
THE BAN AND THE REVIVAL (15 min)

Tell the story: Canadian Potlatch Law (1885), tradition driven underground for 66 years, secret survival, repeal in 1951, revival led by Bill Reid and others, current generation of master carvers. Discuss: how does a tradition survive 66 years of being illegal? End by mentioning shame poles — totem poles can also criticise power, not just celebrate family.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE POLE (10 min)

On the board, draw or describe a few common crests: eagle (hooked beak), raven (straight beak), killer whale (dorsal fin), bear (round ears, big nose), frog (wide mouth, no tail). Discuss: each clan has rights to specific crests. Other clans cannot use them without permission. Compare with European heraldry.
CLOSING (5 min)

Ask: 'What does the totem pole teach us about Indigenous traditions, colonisation, and survival?' Take a few honest answers. End by saying: 'Right now, in a workshop on Haida Gwaii or in Tlingit Alaska, a carver is working on a new pole. The cedar smells of the forest. The chisels make the same sound they have made for centuries. The pole will be raised this year or next. The Pacific Northwest peoples are alive. The carving continues. The story is not finished.'

Classroom materials

Design Your Own Crest

Instructions: Each student designs their own personal crest on paper — a symbolic figure that represents themselves, their family, or something important to them. They choose: (1) a symbol (animal, object, or shape); (2) colours; (3) one detail that has personal meaning. Important: this is in their own style, not copying Pacific Northwest crests. Display the designs. Discuss: each Pacific Northwest crest works similarly, but with strict rules about who can use which symbols.

Example: In Mr Cole's class, students designed crests representing their families, their interests, and their values. The teacher said: 'You have just done what every Pacific Northwest family does — chosen a symbol that says something about who they are. The difference is that on the coast, the symbols are inherited and protected. You cannot just adopt the Eagle crest if it does not belong to your family. The rules around crest use have been part of these cultures for centuries.'

Words and Naming

Instructions: On the board, write the word 'totem pole' and the original names: Haida 'gyáaʼaang', Tlingit 'kootéeyaa', Tsimshian 'pts'aan'. Discuss: 'totem pole' is itself a colonial misnaming — 'totem' is from Algonquian, a language from far away. Students discuss: what other things in the world are called by misnamed terms? Examples: 'Indian' (Columbus's mistake), 'Eskimo' (now usually 'Inuit'), 'Apache' (often used for unrelated peoples).

Example: In Mrs Chan's class, students realised many Indigenous peoples are still called by names given by outsiders. The teacher said: 'Naming matters. When we use the original names, we recognise that these peoples named themselves first. The English term "totem pole" is a label from outside. The original names are the ones the carvers themselves use. Both are real, but they say different things about who has the right to name.'

Cultures Under Pressure

Instructions: In small groups, students discuss: 'Are there other examples of cultural traditions that survived bans or suppression?' Examples might include: Welsh language under English suppression, Irish music during the famine, Yiddish before and after the Holocaust, African-American spirituals during slavery, Quechua language in the Andes, Indigenous Australian art under colonisation. Each group shares one example. Discuss: cultural survival often takes generations of work.

Example: In one class, students named Welsh, Irish Gaelic, Hebrew, African drumming traditions, and Indigenous Australian Dreamtime stories. The teacher said: 'You have just listed real cases of traditions that survived deliberate suppression. The Pacific Northwest carving tradition is one of many. The survival is never automatic. Each generation has to keep the practice alive, often in secret. When the ban ends, the work of revival begins. The traditions you have named are alive today because the people refused to let them die.'

Where to go next

Try a lesson on the wampum belt for another Indigenous tradition involving recorded history (Haudenosaunee).
Try a lesson on the Diné weaving for another Indigenous artistic tradition with deep cultural meaning.
Try a lesson on the lacrosse stick for another Indigenous tradition revived after near-suppression.
Connect this lesson to history class with a longer project on Indigenous-government relations in Canada and the US. The Potlatch Law is one piece of a much larger story.
Connect this lesson to art class with a longer project on visual languages. Pacific Northwest formline design is one of many distinctive Indigenous visual systems worldwide.
Connect this lesson to citizenship class with a longer discussion of restitution and reconciliation. The return of stolen poles is part of a wider movement.

Key takeaways

A totem pole is a tall carved cedar pole made by specific Pacific Northwest peoples — the Haida, Tlingit, Tsimshian, Kwakwaka'wakw, Nuxalk, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Coast Salish nations. It is not a tradition shared by all Indigenous Americans.
The poles are heraldic, not religious. They show crests representing a family's clan, ancestors, and stories — like European coats of arms. Nobody worships totem poles.
Different types of pole serve different functions: heraldic poles for clans, mortuary poles for important deceased people, welcome poles for visitors, and shame poles that publicly criticise unpaid debts or injustices.
The Canadian Potlatch Law (1885-1951) banned the ceremonies needed to raise poles, nearly destroying the tradition. It survived in secret and was revived from the 1950s onwards, led by master Haida carver Bill Reid (1920-1998).
Today, more totem poles are being carved than at any time since the 1880s. Master carvers train apprentices. New poles are raised each year. Stolen poles are being returned home from museums abroad.
The word 'totem' comes from Algonquian, a language from far away. Pacific Northwest peoples have their own names for the poles: Haida 'gyáaʼaang', Tlingit 'kootéeyaa', Tsimshian 'pts'aan'. The colonial naming is itself part of the history.

Sources

Totem Poles: An Illustrated Guide — Marjorie M. Halpin (1981) [academic]
Looking at Totem Poles — Hilary Stewart (1993) [academic]
Bill Reid and Beyond: Expanding on Modern Native Art — Karen Duffek and Charlotte Townsend-Gault (2004) [academic]
The Potlatch Papers: A Colonial Case History — Christopher Bracken (1997) [academic]
Totem Poles — Bill Holm (1990) [academic]

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