John Watson: Totem poles find home in OklahomaWhile in Oklahoma recently, I noticed in one of their travel brochures there was a Totem Pole Park near Claremore containing a 90 foot tall totem pole. I had to check that out.
The park is near Foyil, Okla., just a short side trip off old Route 66 on Oklahoma Highway 28A.You can see the giant totem pole sticking up above the tree tops before you arrive at the park.And:
The world’s largest totem pole was built by Ed Galloway, working from 1937 to 1948. It is 90 feet tall, 18 feet in diameter, and 54 feet in circumference at the base. It is made from 100 tons of sand and rock, 28 tons of cement and six tons of steel. There are 200 different carved pictures with four, nine-foot-tall Indian chiefs near the top.
The other totem poles are of the standard variety, averaging six to 20 feet tall. One is a little different from the others. It is in the shape of a giant arrowhead about 18 feet tall. All the totem poles have one thing in common, they are all made of concrete.Comment: If a pole doesn't have totems on it, I don't think it qualifies as a totem pole. For instance, consider the pole below, which is labeled "a totem pole in the shape of a tree trunk."
A totem isn't just any carving of a person or animal. It's the symbol of a tribe, clan, family, or individual, often with historical or mythological significance.
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