November/ December 2008

Totem Poles for the Modern World

Now for something completely different! Make your own Totem Pole at Chameleon Workshop!

Totem poles were first created within Native Northwestern American cultures. The original purposes included recounting familiar legends, clan lineages, or notable event that came to represent and distinguish various villages within cultures. In the modern world, especially in large cities, we identify less with our “village” and more with our individuality. During this course we will make totems poles that represent the individual. Important personal events, aspects of our personalities, and our family and friends can serve as inspiration for different parts of the totems.

The totems will be made out of 5 different sections of wood and students will have the chance to adorn each section by carving, painting, adding mosaic tiles and generally decorating in their own style.