The people of the totem pole were what we would call Native Americans. There were seven main groups of people. They lived along the coastline of Washington State and up the coast of Canada to the panhandle of Alaska. The area's population may have reached 100,000 by 1800. Smallpox and measles greatly reduced their numbers.
As was common among Native Americans, the people of the totem pole believed that everything, both living and inanimate, had a spirit. They believed in one Creator, but many spirits of nature.
In 1854, Chief Seattle (for whom Seattle, Washington, was named) was believed to have said, "Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing, and every humming insect is holy in the memory of my people. The sap which courses through the trees carries the memories of the red man." This may be a more poetic version of the chief's original statement. However, it does get the point across. Native Americans felt that all things had a spirit.
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Because the people lived so close to water, they ate a lot of fish. They had an interesting belief related to fish. Salmon, they thought, were really people who lived in a magical land under the ocean. They turned themselves into salmon as a gift to the coastal people. To honor the salmon people, the totem pole people held a religious ceremony in their honor. They roasted the first fish of the season and said prayers of thanksgiving. The bones of that fish were placed in the river to return home. The totem pole people believed that the fish's spirit was in the bones and that once home, the salmon person would grow his or her flesh back. Showing honor in this way was meant to keep the salmon returning every year.
By fasting, praying, and personal sacrifice (not the kind of sacrifice that involves dying), a person could obtain his or her own guardian spirit. This spirit would bless the person with a useful life skill. The person would honor his or her guardian spirit during religious ceremonies. These ceremonies involved music and dance. These were sacred and not something to be shared with outsiders. It is worth noting, however, that of all the religious
practices of the people of the totem pole, the totem was not an object used for religious purposes. They were not worshipped or used to ward off evil spirits. Totems symbolized the history of a clan.
The religious leaders of the people were called shamans or medicine men. They were naturally feared for their supernatural abilities. People did not as a practice establish close relationships to shamans. However, in times of sickness or war, the shaman was the person to call. The shaman was able to contact spirits for help in making medicine and for blessing the tribe in times of war and even during the hunting season. The shaman was very involved in their religious ceremonies and even making decisions that would affect the entire tribe.
The people of the totem pole still exist. Many live on reservations in the Pacific Northwest. They are working to preserve the traditions of their forefathers while living in a modern world.
1. In what region did the people of the totem pole live?
A. Atlantic Northeast
B. American Midwest
C. Pacific Southwest
D. Pacific Northwest****
2. What animal did they believe was magical?
A. deer
B. salmon****
C. eagle
D. bear
3. American Indians in the Pacific Northwest believed that everything had:
A. gold corn
B. a totem****
C. a spirit
D. a guarantee
4. A personal guardian spirit could be gotten through all of these except:
A. fasting
B. prayer****
C. self-sacrifice
D. dancing
5. Guardian spirits were givers of:
A. life
B. gold****
C. life skills
D. horses
6. What was the purpose of totem poles?
A. to hold up tents
B. to provide a visual history of a clan****
C. to serve as gods during worship
D. to ward off evil spirits
7. From whom did the shaman receive power?
A. spirits
B. the chief
C. trees****
D. the totem pole
8. The people of the totem pole do not share certain ceremonies with outsiders because:
A. The ceremonies are sacred and not for public entertainment.
B. They have forgotten how to perform the ceremonies****.
C. The ceremonies would lose their power.
D. They don't want to be laughed at.
To answer the questions:
1. In what region did the people of the totem pole live?
The people of the totem pole lived in the Pacific Northwest. The answer is D. Pacific Northwest.
2. What animal did they believe was magical?
They believed that salmon was a magical animal. The answer is B. salmon.
3. American Indians in the Pacific Northwest believed that everything had:
They believed that everything had a spirit. The answer is C. a spirit.
4. A personal guardian spirit could be gotten through all of these except:
A personal guardian spirit could be obtained through fasting, prayer, and self-sacrifice, but not through dancing. The answer is D. dancing.
5. Guardian spirits were givers of:
Guardian spirits were believed to bless individuals with useful life skills. The answer is C. life skills.
6. What was the purpose of totem poles?
The purpose of totem poles was to provide a visual history of a clan. The answer is B. to provide a visual history of a clan.
7. From whom did the shaman receive power?
The shaman received power from spirits. The answer is A. spirits.
8. The people of the totem pole do not share certain ceremonies with outsiders because:
The ceremonies are considered sacred and not for public entertainment. The answer is A. The ceremonies are sacred and not for public entertainment.