Totem poles are monumental sculptures carved from great trees, usually cedar, typically Western Redcedar, by a number of Indigenous cultures along the Pacific northwest coast of North America.
Totem poles are carved, not by one carver, but by a head carver and a number of apprentice-carvers. The head carver has a reputation to uphold. To be certain the totem looks professional, the chief carver personally carves or seriously supervises the bottom ten feet of the pole. Inexperienced apprentices are allowed more freedom to carve the higher regions. Therefore the bottom of all totem pole is sometimes the best carved part of the whole pole. Meaning wise, the low man has a much or more meaning than other figures.
Vertical order of images is widely believed to be a significant representation of importance. This idea is so pervasive that it has entered into common parlance with the phrase "low man on the totem pole". This phrase is indicative of the most common belief of ordering importance, that the higher figures on the pole are more important or prestigious.
Authentic full size totem poles today, cost in the region of $25,000 to $100,000
My Totem pole designs and reference images
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