Doodle A Day - Totem Poles

Doodle Prompt - Totem Poles

Photo credit from www.coloring-pictures.net

     Alison K Hertz is blog host at On My Mind and she is the creator of Doodle Day May. For July, she asked for participants to help come up with doodle prompts. Today is my turn (YAY) and I picked totem poles.  I think they are fascinating to look at and are very beautiful.


What is a totem pole?

    "Totem pole " is the name given by Europeans to the carved wooden pillars made by Indian villages of the Northwest coast. The basic idea is that the differences existing in nature are used to identify or stand for groups of people most likely families.
     The popularity of carving totem poles increased, because it was felt that they were very impressive in trade. Back then, there were only really two basic types of poles: the memorial (to honor dead relatives) and the decorative house pole."   - says the Library Think Quest website





What can a totem pole be decorated with?


Historically, they had symbols like the ones below: (for today's prompt you can add anything you want to your totem pole doodle)


Raven - Mischievous
Sea Turtle - Mother Earth
Thunderbird - Mystical
Eagle - Leadership
Wolf - Loyal
Beaver - Builder
Bear - Motherhood
Frog - Survivalist
Otter - Laughter
Salmon - Provider
Whale - Family Centered
Hawk - Messenger
Owl - Respected

If you like to research these symbols more click here: http://www.d123.org/olhms/hmccarthy/documents/NW_Indian_Totem_Poles.pdf

Or
This link here for additional symbols:
http://www.gullitotempoles.com/TotemPoleSymbols.html

Below, is my totem pole doodle with some symbols that represent my life/family. 



Photo credit Jennifer Young

Good luck with your own totem pole doodles and make sure to check out Alison's blog for the rest of the challenge prompts previous posted and yet to come.

Click here for Alison's blog: On My Mind

Click here for the Doodle Facebook group page: Doodle A Day May

Need more inspiration?
Then scroll down for more totem poles




Photo credit from artisthelpingchildren.org

Photo credit from website www.bestofbanff.com

I took this picture at a water park.

It's a shower in the likeness of a totem pole.

Photo Credit Jennifer Young

 I took this picture at the boardwalk.

It's a decorative item in the likeness of a totem pole

Photo credit Jennifer Young



A thunderbird spreads it's wings on the top of this totem pole.

Photo Credit Seattle Online

For many more pictures and more information about the history of the totem pole please visit here : http://www.nps.gov/sitk/historyculture/totem-poles.htm