What’s On Your Totem Pole?

The summer between my freshman and sophomore year of high school I went on a road trip with my parents and brother Keith.  We drove up the west coast from San Diego to Vancouver, and then over to Calgary before heading back home.  We tent camped every night in beautiful camp grounds, and I always remember that trip with fond memories.
When we were in Vancouver we went to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.  It is one of Vancouver’s most popular tourist destinations. Since my mom is a well researched traveller, it was one of the sights we had to visit. 
I recall having a fun time that day walking through the gardens and the nature trails that surrounded the bridge.  I also recall how proud I was of myself for overcoming my fear of heights to walk across the 450 foot bridge that suspends 230 feet above the Capilano River.
Recently I was looking through my memento box and I came across the photos from that trip.  One of the photos that I gazed at longer than the others was a picture of my brother, dad, and I standing in front of some of the totem poles within park.  The photo stuck out to me because of the totem poles.
There, erected behind us in the photo, were three towering totem poles.  And while I was not able to fully appreciate the awesomeness of those totem poles when I was a teenager, I certainly could now.
Whenever I see a totem pole I wonder about the story that particular cedar shares.  Totem poles are not just beautiful towering pieces of art, they share a significant story.
Totem poles are storytellers.
Throughout the span of time, knowledge, history, and family heritage has been passed down from generation to generation through storytelling.  Beyond verbal and written storytelling, many cultures and communities have documented their most precious stories through art.
The art of storytelling is just as alive and vibrant today as it has been throughout history.    Whether stories have been shared from grandparent to grandchild during a bond fire, or on the walls of an Egyptian pyramid, or on a towering totem pole, most of what we know about the past has been documented through storytelling.  In fact, most of what we understand, or think we understand, about our existence on this planet has been shaped through storytelling.

Storytelling shapes our lives.
Whenever my maternal grandparents came to San Diego to visit when I was a little girl, my grandma always stayed in my room with me.  She slept in my bed and I slept on a cot.  Every night I laid awake with captivated curiosity as she told me the stories of her life.  Those stories she shared with me are imprinted in my consciousness still today.
A few years ago after attending a friends funeral, I was inspired to ask my parents to answer a few legacy questions.  Mom returned to me a detailed history of her life.  I learned so much about my mom through the stories she shared.  I learned that she was a trailblazing youth responsible for getting a park built in her neighborhood.  I cried when I read about how she was teased at school because of the large red birthmark on her face.  I felt love and compassion for my mom as I grew to understand her in a deeper and more authentic way through her transparent storytelling.
Through storytelling we are not only documenting our lives, we are honoring ourselves and affirming that our stories matter.
Our lives matter.  We matter.
Getting our voice on matters!
But if we don’t share our stories, from our own unique voice, how can anyone know who we truly are?  How can our wisdom, our knowledge, and our courage be shared accurately if we don’t empower ourselves to share the stories of our own life through our own voice?
Getting your voice on means that you recognize and affirm that you matter!
 One of the things that intrigues me about totem poles is how sacred they are.  Not only are the stories they share important, but the process of making a totem pole involves a deeply rooted ritual.  From the moment a cedar tree is cut down, to the moment a completed totem pole is erected, there are deliberate and careful steps followed and honored.

A story is told through the totem pole with the top symbol depicting the most important component of the story, and then descends in order of importance.  A story told through a totem pole is crafted with tremendous purpose, and holds stories full of wisdom and knowledge that are meant to be shared with others.