Once upon a time, in a small native village, there was a carver named Cedar who was very skilled in creating totem poles. Totems poles were important to the village clan as they told the stories of the tribe's history and legends. Cedar was asked by the clan to create a special pole for the recently deceased chief of the tribe.

Cedar got to work, he carved crest of the chief and his family on the bottom of the pole, then the events of the chief's life, and finally at the top, a memorial pole with a symbol of the chief's spirit soaring to the heavens.

When he finished, the villagers gathered around to admire the beautiful mortuary pole. They were proud of their heritage and honored the chief's memory by raising the pole in front of the chief's longhouse. From that day on, the mortuary pole stood as a proud reminder of their past and the chief's legacy.

The end.

Reflections

1. What is a totem pole and what is its purpose in the native village clan?
2. How did Cedar honor the chief's memory through the mortuary pole he created?
3. Why was the mortuary pole important to the villagers?
4. What does the crest on the bottom of the pole represent?
5. What does the memorial pole symbolize at the top of the totem pole?