THE MEANING OF NATIVE AMERICAN TOTEMS

A TOTEM IS A BELIEF, BEING, OBJECT OR SYMBOL REPRESENTING AN ANIMAL OR PLANT THAT SERVES AS AN EMBLEM OF A GROUP OF PEOPLE OR A CLAN REMINDING THEM OF THEIR ANCESTRY.  IN KINSHIP AND DESCENT OF THE TOTEM IS NONHUMAN.  IT IS PART OF THEIR MYTH.  MY TOTEM IS A DRAGONFLY.  I MADE A LARGE CRAFTED DRAGONFLY OUT OF PAPER MACHE IN 6TH GRADE.  I HAVE SEEN MANY IN 6TH GRADE.  I HAVE SEEN MANY IN OHIO.  AT A MUSEUM WE USE  USED TO STUDY MANY BUTTERFLIES/DRAGONFLIES.  THERE WERE MANY AT A POND

THE WORD TOTEM IS OBJIBWE IN ORIGIN AND ABORIGINAL IN CANADA HAVE SIMILAR BELIEFS.  IT IS REFERRED TO SOMETHING RELATED. ACTUALLY THROUGHOUT THEWORLD MANY COUNTRIES HAVE THESE BELIEFS.  SOME FOLKS HAVE ADOPTEDA PERSONAL SPIRIT HELPER THAT HAS SPECIAL MEANING TO THEM.  THIS IS A NEW AGE MEANING.  A TOTEM IS A NEW AGE MEANING.  A TOTEM IS KINSHIP RELATED  AND IS A RELIGIOUS BELIEF ASSOCIATED WITH SHAMANISM. IN THE 19TH CENTURY TOTEMISM WAS STUDIED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEORIES OF RELIGION PRIMITIVE SOCIETIES.  EMILE DURKHEIM STUDIED AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES. AND THEIR SOCIAL GROUP WITH A SPIRITUAL TOTEM.  SHE BELIEVED ALL HUMAN RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION IS FOUND IN IN RELATIONSHIP TO A GROUP.  ANOTHER SCHOLAR FOUND THAT THOSE BELONGING TO THE SAME TOTEM REGARDED ONE ANOTHER  AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS WITH OBLIGATIONS TO EACH OTHER.  THE TOTEMIC CULTURES ARE BELIEVED TO BE OVER 10,000 YEARS OLD.  THE TOTEM POLES MADE BY ABORIGINALS IN CANADA IN THE NORTHWEST  AND CANADA ARE NOT TOTEMIC IN NATURE.  THEY RECOUNT FAMILIES OR COMMEMORATE SPECIAL OCASSIONS.

WIKIPEDIA.COM