7 Things You dont know about
Totem Poles- By:Avril,Aimee and Abigayle
What are Totem Poles?
Totem Poles are monumental sculptures carved from big trees or large blocks of wood, usually made out of red cedar. They also get painted to show off their individual uniqueness. They are created by the First Nations of the Pacific Northwest.
What do Totem Poles represent?
Totem Poles represent ancestry,people and events also they represent the history of the people who carved them. Carving totem poles takes artistic skills but also an understanding of culture, histories and forest ecology. The meaning of the designs on totem poles are as varied as the cultures that make them. Totem poles also might recount known legends or notable events. Designs that most people reconize today have been developed in the last 200 years.
Totem Pole height and costs
On average, totem poles cost about $3,000 per linear foot, not including the log. Most totem poles stand between 3 to 18 metres tall and or 4 to 75 feet. Although some can reach over 20 metres in height. Some people say totem poles can cost up to 20K and up.
Totem Pole Facts
The base of the totem pole is burned using wood chips that were carved from the pole during its creation. This is supposed to help slow the rotting process. Many totem poles no longer exist because of decay and rot. It takes between three to nine months to complete a totem pole. Once the totem pole is complete potlatch is typically held where the carver is paid and other traditional activities are conducted. Then once the pole is free standing , people perform and dance around the pole.
Painting Totem Poles
Paint colors for totem poles are limited. Most totem pole artists rely on natural colors. The paint they use to decorate the totem poles are created with the oil from salmon eggs. Totem Poles were never fully painted, only parts that helped bring a figure to life were painted. Black came from charcoal, red came from iron ore, turquoise was copper oxide and white was from clam shells.
Amazing Totem poles
To learn more about Totem Poles
click here
Art & Story in Totem Poles / Ignite Dallas
Work Cited
Websites:
http://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/home/culture/totem-poles.html
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/totem+pole
http://users.imag.net/~sry.jkramer/nativetotems/default.html
Pictues:
http://www.crystalinks.com/totempoles.html
“Art & Story in Totem Poles / Ignite Dallas.”Randy Hoyt.Youtube.21 July 2011.Web.15 March 2014.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Lht4XGkk0k
“amazing totem poles.”2010gamesvancouver. YouTube. 16 feb 2007. web 15 March 2014.