Ancient Voices

The oral tradition in indigenous cultures is well known. Before European arrival, story telling was not just a form of entertainment a la Hollywood but also a method to impart the wisdom that was accumulated in elders' memories. No formal writing system was developed in the west coast pre-Columbian cultures, so they relied on stories to transmit certain kinds of knowledge. Less known is their use of totems to pass on socio-cultural information. Prior to the introduction of writing, the meaning of a totem was understood by people through oral stories, cultural practices, and general communal knowledge.

This second image clarifies the meaning of the pole, which is found in Capilano park, but it must be remembered than in its original pre-literate conception, a totem was understood in a more experiential manner.

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