Identity Book Entry #3: PERSONAL TOTEM

Totem poles are an Aboriginal form of art. Totem poles were once carved and raised to represent a family clan, its kinship system, its dignity, its accomplishments, its prestige, its adventures, its stories, its right and prerogatives. Contrary to belief, they were never used for worship or have any religious significance but were used to record history for those who had no written language. A totem pole served, in essence as the emblem of a family or a clan and often as a reminder of its ancestry.

In general, a totem pole means:

“This is who we are; these carvings symbolically show what we stand for.”

“Groups of faces and figures piled one on top of the next, woven into patterns with repeating shapes combine along the height of the totem pole to produce a mystical portrayal of something wondrous.” The figures that make up the totem have their own significant value and story. The top figures on the pole are last significant while the bottom figures are the most significant. Likewise with size; the larger figures are more important than the smaller ones.

YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

Your task is to create a “personal totem” in two-dimensional form. This totem must be a symbolic image of you and your life. The totem must have a minimum of four levels but you can choose what you want to represent. Remember that totems are symbolic so use your imagination when creating it. You may want to draw it or use cut out shapes and pictures. Here are some category ideas you may want to represent:

• Accomplishments
• Academics
• Family Traditions
• Family
• Friends
• Values
• Interests
• Dreams/Goals
• Philosophy of life
• Others???????

Be sure you put the most important aspect of your life on the bottom and the lesser important on the top. Think about using size, shapes, colour, lines, texture, balance, and focal points to create meaning.

Once you have created your totem you must provide a written explanation of each level. Explain the symbolic significance of each object and the significance of the colour, shape, lines, texture, and balance. All of these techniques produce meaning. (This is called being metaphorical).

I am not expecting a grand artistic masterpiece. We are not all artistic. I am looking for your ability to think symbolically and metaphorically.