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"Perhaps the Great Tyee and the white man's God are the same," the child said, innocent of expressing a wonderful truth. Maybe it's that way with the two Great Tyees, the white man's and ours. But why should they send me dreams of flocks of baby Totem Poles?" "Because Hoolool will make you one to-day, and then flocks and flocks of tenas poles for the men with the silver coins.
The case was strong. Opposing the creative principles as embodied in the Crow and the Raven, he stigmatized Mackenzie as the Wolf, the fighting and the destructive principle. Not only was the combat of these forces spiritual, but men fought, each to his totem.
"Of corn, we had many and plentiful feasts; for the grain, being in the milk is both sweet to the mouth and comfortable to the stomach. Of totem, I know not the meaning; but if it appertaineth in any wise to the art of Indian music, it need not be inquired after at their hands. They never join their voices in praise, and it would seem that they are among the profanest of the idolatrous."
A few passes with his hands fascinated the creature long enough for the Medicine Man to show the Indians that the creature was undoubtedly pointing in the direction of the captives, and when that was done the crafty redskin had achieved his purpose: The serpent had divined whom the sacred totem of the tribe had called that day.
'The fire totem, we are told, would thus naturally have become the god of the Indians. 'We are told' where, and by whom? Not a hint is given on the subject, so we must leave the doctrine of fire totems to its mysterious discoverer. Who are the 'others' who speak of a Greek 'culture-hero' by the impossibly fantastic name of 'a fire totem'? Prometheus Mr.
Again, almost invariably the totemite shows some respect towards his totem, refraining, for instance, from slaying and eating the totem-animal, unless it be in some specially solemn and sacramental way.
W. Wallace Brown. As the totem of the Tortoise was of the highest rank among the Algonquins, this account of its origin is of corresponding interest. Having employed an old Indian to carve the handle of a war or scalping knife for me, such as was used by his Passamaquoddy ancestors, he carved on it a tortoise.
The stone out of which the beautiful head is cut is not polished, but wrought so finely as to almost imitate the texture of the skin. It is decidedly a good looking face. The nostrils are most delicately chiseled, and the cartilage pierced; the eyes are open, and clearly marked. On the right cheek is his totem, a fish traced in exceedingly small cross bars.
Four huge totem poles, or ponderous carvings, supported the heavy beams of the roof in the manner of caryatides. These figures, half veiled in shadow, were most impressive, and gave a kind of Egyptian solemnity to the dimly lighted apartment. The chief was not alone. His man Friday was with him, and together we sat and smoked in a silence that was almost suffocating.
The totem was sacred and in this capacity it was looked upon as a source of strength and holiness, and to live beside it and under its protection was considered as a righteous custom. In certain communities the idea that it was necessary to abstain from eating certain totems survived the progress of material civilization.
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