Totem Poles History

Totem poles can show you a lot more history than a few words written on a piece of paper. Many people seek things that represent them or things they can relate to, all their lives. Some tribes, including the Tlingit tribe and the Haida tribe, found the solution to just that. They symbolized traits and events in an incredible way, using knifes and logs of wood. Carving faces of animals on the logs connected them to all life on Earth. These logs are called totem poles. This way of showing respect for animals can still be practiced today.

Organization is essential for all species, especially the ones that live in communities, additionally, it is also a trait that bees and I share. It is a bee’s responsibility to play it’s role in the community,
and if it’s not done in an organized way, it affects everyone in the community. I have always been extremely, or maybe even obsessively, organized. The smallest details mean everything to me. I remember one time in my Grade 5 art class, we had to draw a full-body portraits of ourselves and by the time I was only done with the details on my face every else had already started colouring theirs. Since bees share everything, they depend on each other in order to survive and they would not be able to live long by themselves. Just like bees, I rely on my family and close friends to help me through hard times and everyday in general. I feel safer around my friends and I feel more free to express myself. The biggest trait that bees and I share is not even their dependency, it's their ability to focus on any given task and their determination in getting it done. Using a school project as an example, this is how I get my work done, the first stage is the laziness, in this stage I feel slothful and have no motivation in getting the work done. The next stage is when I force myself to start it and get it done quickly. But right after starting it, my obsessive side takes over and makes sure that my project is done the right way which often leads to me spending the whole time given to me by the teacher. If anything, I don’t necessarily dislike the hardwork I put into everything, just like the bees.

Bees are not the only animals that were born with the gift of loyalty. When there were no cars or motorcycles, we relied on horses to take us anywhere we wished. Horses are known to be one of the most loyal and useful animals to human beings since the dawn. They represent loyalty which is one of the traits that I have. I am very loyal to the people close to me. Once, two of my close friends were having a fight and one of them asked me to tell her the second one’s secrets but I refused because I knew that she would use them to her own advantage. Like loyalty, Horses have many other traits that I can relate to. Freedom is one of the most important aspects of a horse’s life because if they are kept in captivity they wouldn’t be able to utilize the one thing they are so powerful and amazing at: Running. For me, freedom is the most significant part of my life, without it I would be a completely different person. My freedom is the reason I am able to enjoy my life the way I do and when it is threatened I am not afraid to fight for it. In order to run so swiftly, horses require plenty of stamina which they inherited from their ancestors. Though I may not be the fastest I do have a substantial amount of cognitive strength. Using that strength, I try to be helpful to people around me, just the way horses have assisted us throughout history.

Eagles can find their prey from astonishing heights during flight which conveys a lot about how observant and aware they are about their surroundings.
Growing up, I have been like the eagles, I didn’t speak as much the average person but was very observant. An eagle has such a great vision and understanding of other species that they can tell from of a distance if something is prey or an enemy. I can usually tell what someone’s intentions are because their body language always gives it away. For eagles, working alone is adequate for their survival but they still choose to live, fly and prey in flocks. Similar to eagles, I possess the ability to get most things done in an ideal way but I prefer collaborating because when we work together we unlock different parts of our brains which leads us to put think up better ideas than what we probably would have come up with on our own. Additionally, eagles are one of the boldest birds in the skies. Whenever there is a storm and all the other birds fly away, eagles see this as their chance to fly higher. I find this fascinating because this trait exists in humans too, including me. When I was younger, everything scared me, even the slowest of rides. But as I grew up and I got over my fears by facing them, I found a way that can make a person more joyful: Thrill. Because mundane, everyday life can be dull, I like doing thrilling and exciting things once in awhile so my satisfactory level is adequate. Eagles think the same way. The most interesting thing about eagles to me is that they are among the most free beings in the world and they don’t even realize
it.

It would take a whole book to explain the history that one totem pole exhibits. Bees, horses and eagles are just a few examples of animals that can be carved into totem poles for symbolism of traits and events. This is a way of showing animals the respect they deserve and acknowledging their characteristics. Throughout history, totem poles have been an expressive way of showing care for nature.