Volume 4, Issue 7, page 5

iealing -- or Death -- Stored by In
G
HE
RE is -- or originally was -- much more
to a totem pole than the garish faces
that-look back at you. Once upon a
time -- with certain Indian tribes and
a few other savages -- these totem
roles became objects of worship, as they
volved from the use of a tree, or some
rooden object which could be carved.

Early Indian seers discovered that the
agnetism of an idea could be impregnated
into a wooden object, such as a tree. As
;ime passed, and the seers became more
;rained in so treating these tribal symrols (as well as exciting the tribal memers into a superstitious mania), the use
rf a tree or other carved object gradially gave way to special "totem " poles,
)n which the tribal symbols were more or
less elaborately carved, painted, o r
aerely attached. Usually, the idea imbedied into this symbolic icon was the high?st idea the tribe could conceive to represent it.

There was always a "totem-master ", or
eeper -- usually the medicine man of the
tribe had this post, tho not always. The
keeper trained an understudy, who was
guarded by the entire tribe so that the
tribe never would be without a totem-master. This understudy was picked by the
eeper at birth, using his "clairvoyant
sight " to locate a suitable candidate to
succeed him.

When this child was one year old, he
was taken from his mother, and discipline
started. He never was permitted to do as
ormal children did. He couldn't cry. Any
food he wanted was denied him; instead he
was given something tasteless for which
he couldn't create a fondness. He had to
sit certain ways, stand and sleep in stated positions. He was not allowed to see
his parents, couldn't have pets, and had
othing "extra " he didn't need for basic
existence. Precautions were taken to see
that he could fasten his affection on
nothing except the pole. He could talk to
none of the other children -- only to his
mentor -- the totem-master.

By the time the child was five years
old, he was "owned " by the totem-master.
Hs discipline was pretty complete.

A new period of training started, during which he was taught to live on roots
and berries, largely of a type which
would give him a higher, cleaner-type
nagnetism. While still young, he was sent
out to live alone and fend for himself
away from the tribe. It was stressed that
he be self-sufficient. He must make his
own clothes from materials he supplied
himself; he made his own utensils, his
'- - T L- t D V v V -- d
Wit~Powestc
ian Seers By THELA NEWCOMER
Qitciei'tt Totenc

EDITOR'S NOTE