Page 23 - 11th World-IFYE-Conference-2018
P. 23
The totem pole originated in the Pa-
cific Northwest and Southeast Alaska.
Totem poles from Alaska are carved
from cedar, which is rot-resistant and
grows in the rainforests in Southeast
Alaska.
Totem poles are carved to display
characters and ancient stories,
which is why totem carvings often
include fish, eagles, bears, ravens,
human faces and even supernatu-
ral figures.
Historically, totem poles were
never fully painted.
However, when something
was to be painted, a mixture
of chewed cedar bark and
salmon eggs was used, along
with certain powders for pig-
ment, as a type of oil-based
paint.
11 World IFYE Conference Report ~ 19 ~ 08-16 September 2018
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