canada - Moomookachoo

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make your own Totem pole
Totem Poles are large sculptures, made from giant
cedar trees, and were created by Native American
tribes to tell a story that could be passed down
from one generation to the next. Totem Poles can
be found all across the north-west coast of North
America, mostly in Canada.
The figures that you can find on totem poles
are symbols of animals and birds. Each image
represents a part of the story that the artists
wanted to tell. Some totems tell the story of an
important event, others tell about the history of
a family, others were used as memorials. Some
tribes have even made shame poles! These are
poles carved to embarrass someone who has done
something wrong.
Totems were very important for these Native
American tribes as they did not have a written
language, and so the
totem was a very
important way to
pass down history to
younger generations.
However, only
the most wealthy
members of the tribe
could afford to have
a totem carved for
them.
did you know?
It is believed that Canada
was first settled by
Native American tribes
around 12,000 years ago!
Some totem poles are really
huge! They can be up to 20
metres tall - and can take
several years to create!! Can
you imagine how many people
it would take to raise a pole
that big??
MOO
MOO
KACHOO!
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When it comes time to create your own Totem pole, you might want to consider using some of the
animals that are traditionally used:
Bear
Beaver
a teacher symbol as it is believed that the Bear taught people how to catch
salmon and pick berries - he was often carved with his tongue sticking out!
a symbol of patience, wisdom, healing + wealth - don’t forget his two big front
teeth and distinctive tail.
Eagle
a symbol of wisdom - very intelligent and resourceful. Ruler of the sky, he was
able to transform into a human and looked after them - often used to represent
peace and friendship.
Frog
known for bringing wealth - and is associated with Copper Woman - the goddess
of ancestors and ancestral spirits.
Killer Whale
Otter
Owl
Salmon
Thunder Bird
Wolf
a symbol of power, strength, and bravery.
a symbol of laughter, curiosity, grace, and empathy. A wee bit cheeky!
a symbol of the souls of the departed. A very respected animal.
a symbol of instinct, persistence and determination.
a symbol of power in the sky - controller of thunder (by beating his wings) and
lightning (by blinking his eyes). Often found at the very top of the totem pole,
with his wings outstretched.
very powerful totem, who could help people if they were sick or needy.
You will need:
•
•
•
•
•
A paper towel roll
A pair of scissors
A glue stick or PVA glue
A print out of our totem pole printable
Your favourite colouring tools!
1. To make your own totem pole, take your totem pole printable and decorate each of the sections
with an animal or character of your choice. Think about whether your totem pole will tell a
specific story.
2. Cut out each section of the printable.
3. Glue the sections on to your paper towel roll, one at a time - start from the bottom working your
way up.
4. You can also add the wings to any of the characters if you wish and we have included a special ‘top
totem’ if you want to use that one at the top - it has a little more shape to make it a little more
authentic.
There you go - you’ve created your very own totem pole!!
MOO
MOO
KACHOO!
Image Credits:
File:World’s Tallest Totem Pole, Victoria, British Columbia.JPG, Uploaded by Tiagox2
File: 7758531_9982e2dd62_z.JPG, Uploaded to Flickr by Kris Klug
around the world i
n 8 0 da y s
MOO
MOO
KACHOO!
around the world i
n 8 0 da y s
MOO
MOO
KACHOO!