A totem is a protective object.
The first meaning of the term totem collected by the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) mentions the object or being that, in certain towns, was considered the progenitor or protector of the group.
The totem, in this way, was linked to the origin of the tribe . In other words: the members of the clan, according to this mythology , descended from the totem in question, which could be anything from an inert object to a plant or an animal.
Emergence of the term totem
The term totem arose in the language of the Ojibwa , a native people of the United States that are among the largest on the continent, and was used by the native indigenous people to refer to a specific type of monument that is easy to find today. in the vicinity of the Pacific Ocean coast of North America.
The series of beliefs and expressions related to a totem is known as totemism . This notion includes ideas , actions and rituals that refer to the way in which people are linked to their totem. Although it is a word from the Ojibwa culture, totemism can also be seen in the development of societies in many parts of the world, throughout several eras.
Totems are usually made of wood or stone.
A wooden or stone object
It is important to note that the sculpture that is responsible for representing the totem is also known as a totem. In this way, when talking about a totem, we can refer to a wooden or stone object that a culture attributed a mystical power or a supernatural condition.
Generally, the wood chosen for the totems was cedar, since this tree has great robustness and durability, which are ideal for the construction of a monument that will remain outdoors , having to withstand storms and floods, extreme cold and heat. . The body of the totem usually shows one or more characters that serve to declare the status or rank of the chief of the tribe.
The totem is not only an icon that symbolizes the tribe as a whole, but the mythology of certain cultures also used this figure to symbolically represent the individual. Whatever the case, the totem can have a large number of meanings and attributes associated with it for the beings with which it is linked.
Animals represented on totems
Although animals are exploited in various ways by human beings, both to perform forced labor that we cannot or do not want to do and to feed on their meat, our extremist nature gave rise to certain cultures choosing one or more species to worship. , as if they were gods . Some North American tribes believe that animals possess qualities representative of spiritual faculties or supernatural forces .
Among the worshiped species are the wolf, the eagle, the falcon, the bison, the badger and the bear , and these are part of many totems. As a curious fact, any figure that is above a winged one (such as a bird) usually represents beings superior to human beings, deities.
Other uses of the term
Totem is also the name of a Uruguayan musical group that was active between 1971 and 1973 . That band , which had Rubén Rada among its members, released three albums.
“Totem” , on the other hand, is the name of a song that Rush released in 1996 as part of the album “Test for echo” . It is also the title of two comic book publications: one Argentine and the other Spanish.
Lastly, the sign that is installed at a public transport stop with information about routes, schedules, etc. is known as a totem.