Totem Poles
Pat Kramer
(Reviewer - Rebecca Brown)
1999 Altitude Publishing
ISBN: 1551536293

The First Peoples of the Pacific coast recorded their history & preserved their legends, myths & stories on spectacularly carved totem poles.

Even in far away London as a child I'd heard of totem poles. There was a saying about being “low on the totem pole” which implied lacking status. Later, when I finally ventured in the Land of the First People & came face-to-face with their totem poles in situ, I learnt that being so low was a sign of whose home you were about to step into.

After Pat Kramer offers Acknowledgements to all who guided her, she takes us on a wondrous tour of The Origins and History of Totem Poles; Totem Pole Symbols and Ceremonies; Identifying Totem Figures; Land of the Totem Poles with a Recommended Reading and Index section.

Given that the conifers of the Pacific Northwest grow so tall, it is no wonder that the first intrepid photographers over 100 years ago, were awed by these carved columns, bringing those images back & inspiring city minds. Many archival photos are included depicting a rich heritage.

There is also a clear map of where The Totem People live--from the Alaskan Tlingit, southwards to the Haida, Tsimshian, Heilstsuk, Nuxalk, Kwakwaka'wakw(Kwakiutl), Nuu-Chal-Nulth(Nootka), Salish, Quinalt & Makah, among whom I live. & a map of where old & new totem poles are located.

Connections are drawn about the Rock Art Sites to be found in our forest & villages, & information about Life before Contact, Sporadic First Russian Contacts, & the reason contact was made--the Sea Otter Trade of 1774 to 1830. Even included is a section of New Zealand's Maori Poles.

Between the late 19th century until the Great Depression there was a goldrush of another kind--representatives of museums as well as religions came a-calling & took away most of the ancient longstanding totem poles, in exchange for soul saving &/or sacks of flour & sugar &, of course, the inevitable & destructive bottles of alcohol.

Those totem poles in the most isolated villages remained unscathed & enough First People survived to remember what they meant. In recent decades, they have been willing to talk about them. Among the gatherers is Pat Kramer whose harvest of photographs & information about the many varieties & purposes for carving & erecting totem poles, offers us a beautiful introduction to both the ancient poles & stories, & the modern renaissance.

If you have ever been fascinated by totem poles & wanted to know more about them, how they are carved, what ceremonies are associated with them, like the grand Potlatch, then this is the book for you!

Very well done!

A word about how Altitude Publishing presents their books--they are clearly written in columnar layouts like a magazine. The page tops are color-coded for easy access & referral. Treasures to keep.

More from Pat Kramer:
Vancouver
Gardens of British Columbia

Check out www.altitudepublishing.com for a full catalogue of their amazing books!
(02/16/03)

Rebecca