Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Totem shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Totem offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Totem at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Totem? Wrong! If the Totem is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Totem then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Totem? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Totem and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Totem wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Totem then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Totem site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Totem, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Totem, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
This article is about totemism. For the media player, see Totem (media player). For Canadian loudspeaker manufacturer, see Totem Acoustic. For the upcoming Video Game see Totem (video game)A
totem is any entity which watches over or assists a group of people, such as a family,
clan or tribe (
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and
Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition).
Totems support larger groups than the individual person. In kinship and descent, if the apical ancestor of a clan is nonhuman, it is called a totem. Normally this belief is accompanied by a totemic myth.
Although the term is of Ojibwa origin, totemistic beliefs are not limited to
Indigenous peoples of the Americas Indians. Similar totemism-like beliefs have been historically found throughout much of the world, including Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, Australia and the Arctic polar region.
In modern times, some single individuals, not otherwise involved in the practice of a tribal religion, have chosen to adopt a personal spirit animal helper, which has special meaning to them, and refer to this as a totem. This non-traditional usage of the term is prevalent in, but not limited to, the
New Age movement, and the
Mythopoetic men's movement.
Totemism
Totemism (derived from the root
-oode- in the
Ojibwe language, which referred to something kinship-related, c.f.
odoodem, "his totem") is a
religion belief that is frequently associated with shamanism religions. The totem is usually an animal or other naturalistic figure that spiritually represents a group of related people such as a clan.
Totemism played an active role in the development of 19th and early 20th century theories of religion, especially for thinkers such as
Émile Durkheim, who concentrated their study on primitive societies (which was an acceptable description at the time). Drawing on the identification of social group with spiritual totem in Australian Aboriginal tribes, Durkheim theorized that all human religious expression was intrinsically founded in the relationship to a group.
In his essay
Le Totemisme aujourdhui (Totemism Today), Claude Lévi-Strauss shows that human cognition, which is based on analogical thought, is independent of social context. From this, he excludes mathematical thought, which operates primarily through logic. Totems are chosen arbitrarily for the sole purpose of making the physical world a comprehensive and coherent classificatory system. Lévi-Strauss argues that the use of physical analogy is not an indication of a more primitive mental capacity. It is rather, a more efficient way to cope with this particular mode of life in which abstractions are rare, and in which the physical environment is in direct friction with the society. He also holds that scientific explanation entails the discovery of an
arrangement; moreover, since
the science of the concrete is a classificatory system enabling individuals to classify the world in a rational fashion, it is neither more nor less a
science than any other in the western world. It is important to recognise that in this text the egalitarian nature of Lévi-Strauss and his work is manifested in all its force, and more importantly Lévi-Strauss diverts the interest of
anthropology towards the understanding of human cognition.
Lévi-Strauss looked at the ideas of Firth and Fortes, Durkheim, Malinowski, and Evans-Pritchard to reach his conclusions. Firth and Fortes argued that Totemism was based on physical or psychological similarities between the clan and the totemic animal. Malinowski proposed that it was based on empirical interest or that the totem was 'good to eat.' In other words there was rational interest in preserving the species. Finally Evans-Pritchard argued that the reason for totems was metaphoric. His work with the
Nuer led him to believe that totems are a symbolic representation of the group. Lévi-Strauss saw Evan-Pritchard's work as the correct explanation.
North American totem poles
, Victoria, BC
The
totem poles of the
Pacific Northwest of
North America have many different designs (bears, birds, frogs, people, lizards, see pictogram). They have arms, wings and legs.
Possibly totemic culture in ancient China
The mysterious
Sanxingdui Culture in southern
China, dating back more than 5000 years, possibly placed bronze and gold heads on totems. Chinese transliterates
totem as
tuteng (圖騰), which means "flags embroidered with animal patterns representing the barbarian tribes". Sanxingdui bronze masks and heads (radiocarbon dated circa 1200BCE) appear to have been mounted on wooden poles. It has been suggested by some that that totemic culture spread from ancient Asiatic populations to the rest of the world, although this is unlikely because totemic cultures in North America are estimated to be over 10,000 years old.
Totems in Zimbabwe
In
Zimbabwe totems (mitupo) have been in use among the Shona people from the initial stages of their culture. The use of totems identifies the different clans that historically made up the ancient civilizations of the dynasties that ruled the Shona people from
Great Zimbabwe. Most notably these symbols were associated with animal names. The purpose of the totem was meant:
To embody the unification, collective pride and aspirations of a clan and its ancestry and
To guard against clan's defilement through acts that are considered to be against social and cultural morals such as incestuous behaviour. For instance, among the Shona people, sexual relationships and marriages are strictly prohibited between men and women who have the same totem because they are considered, for all intents and purposes, to be related;
For the social identity of the clan; and also
To praise someone in recited poetry.
It should be pointed out here that totems among the Shona people have nothing to do with animal worship. Shona totems are also not considered to be, or associated with anything to do with, watching over a person or group thereof. Shona religious practices generally do not involve the totem and where totems are mentioned, its usually only through praise poetry that uses the totem's praise name (chidawo).
In contemporary Shona society there are at least 25 identifiable totems (mitupo) with at least 60 principal praise names (zvidawo). Every Shona clan is identified by a particular totem (mutupo) and principal praise name (chidawo). The principal praise name in this case is used to distinguish people who have the same totem but are from different clans; for example clans that share the same totem
Shumba (lion) will show their different clansmanship by using a particular praise name like
Murambwe, or
Nyamuziwa. The foundations of the totems are inspired in rhymes that reference the history of the totem.The
Clan is the core of every Shona chiefdom. It is a group of agnatically related kinsmen and women who trace their descent from a common founding ancestor.
See also
External links
- Totem Spirit Animals: Discovering Animal Totems, Dictionaries, Feathers
- Historical Wonders of Sanxingdui
- Welcome to Sanxingdui (with history of excavation)
- Totems in Zimbabwe
This article is about totemism. For the media player, see Totem (media player). For Canadian loudspeaker manufacturer, see Totem Acoustic. For the upcoming Video Game see Totem (video game)A
totem is any entity which watches over or assists a group of people, such as a family, clan or tribe (
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and
Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition).
Totems support larger groups than the individual person. In kinship and descent, if the apical ancestor of a clan is nonhuman, it is called a totem. Normally this belief is accompanied by a
totemic myth.
Although the term is of Ojibwa origin, totemistic beliefs are not limited to
Indigenous peoples of the Americas Indians. Similar totemism-like beliefs have been historically found throughout much of the world, including Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, Australia and the Arctic polar region.
In
modern times, some single individuals, not otherwise involved in the practice of a tribal religion, have chosen to adopt a personal spirit animal helper, which has special meaning to them, and refer to this as a totem. This non-traditional usage of the term is prevalent in, but not limited to, the
New Age movement, and the Mythopoetic men's movement.
Totemism
Totemism (derived from the root
-oode- in the Ojibwe language, which referred to something kinship-related, c.f.
odoodem, "his totem") is a
religion belief that is frequently associated with shamanism religions. The totem is usually an animal or other naturalistic figure that spiritually represents a group of related people such as a clan.
Totemism played an active role in the development of 19th and early 20th century theories of religion, especially for thinkers such as Émile Durkheim, who concentrated their study on primitive societies (which was an acceptable description at the time). Drawing on the identification of social group with spiritual totem in Australian Aboriginal tribes, Durkheim theorized that all human religious expression was intrinsically founded in the relationship to a group.
In his essay
Le Totemisme aujourdhui (Totemism Today),
Claude Lévi-Strauss shows that
human cognition, which is based on analogical thought, is independent of social context. From this, he excludes mathematical thought, which operates primarily through
logic. Totems are chosen arbitrarily for the sole purpose of making the physical world a comprehensive and coherent classificatory system. Lévi-Strauss argues that the use of physical
analogy is not an indication of a more primitive mental capacity. It is rather, a more efficient way to cope with this particular mode of life in which abstractions are rare, and in which the physical environment is in direct friction with the
society. He also holds that scientific explanation entails the discovery of an
arrangement; moreover, since
the science of the concrete is a classificatory system enabling individuals to classify the world in a rational fashion, it is neither more nor less a
science than any other in the
western world. It is important to recognise that in this text the egalitarian nature of Lévi-Strauss and his work is manifested in all its force, and more importantly Lévi-Strauss diverts the interest of
anthropology towards the understanding of human cognition.
Lévi-Strauss looked at the ideas of Firth and Fortes, Durkheim, Malinowski, and Evans-Pritchard to reach his conclusions. Firth and Fortes argued that Totemism was based on physical or psychological similarities between the clan and the totemic animal. Malinowski proposed that it was based on empirical interest or that the totem was 'good to eat.' In other words there was rational interest in preserving the species. Finally Evans-Pritchard argued that the reason for totems was metaphoric. His work with the
Nuer led him to believe that totems are a symbolic representation of the group. Lévi-Strauss saw Evan-Pritchard's work as the correct explanation.
North American totem poles
,
Victoria, BCThe totem poles of the Pacific Northwest of
North America have many different designs (bears, birds, frogs, people, lizards, see
pictogram). They have arms, wings and legs.
Possibly totemic culture in ancient China
The mysterious
Sanxingdui Culture in southern
China, dating back more than 5000 years, possibly placed bronze and gold heads on totems. Chinese transliterates
totem as
tuteng (圖騰), which means "flags embroidered with animal patterns representing the barbarian tribes". Sanxingdui bronze masks and heads (radiocarbon dated circa 1200BCE) appear to have been mounted on wooden poles. It has been suggested by some that that totemic culture spread from ancient Asiatic populations to the rest of the world, although this is unlikely because totemic cultures in North America are estimated to be over 10,000 years old.
Totems in Zimbabwe
In Zimbabwe totems (mitupo) have been in use among the
Shona people from the initial stages of their culture. The use of totems identifies the different clans that historically made up the ancient civilizations of the dynasties that ruled the Shona people from Great Zimbabwe. Most notably these symbols were associated with animal names. The purpose of the totem was meant:
To embody the unification, collective pride and aspirations of a clan and its ancestry and
To guard against clan's defilement through acts that are considered to be against social and cultural morals such as incestuous behaviour. For instance, among the Shona people, sexual relationships and marriages are strictly prohibited between men and women who have the same totem because they are considered, for all intents and purposes, to be related;
For the social identity of the clan; and also
To praise someone in recited poetry.
It should be pointed out here that totems among the Shona people have nothing to do with animal worship. Shona totems are also not considered to be, or associated with anything to do with, watching over a person or group thereof. Shona religious practices generally do not involve the totem and where totems are mentioned, its usually only through praise poetry that uses the totem's praise name (chidawo).
In contemporary Shona society there are at least 25 identifiable totems (mitupo) with at least 60 principal praise names (zvidawo). Every Shona clan is identified by a particular totem (mutupo) and principal praise name (chidawo). The principal praise name in this case is used to distinguish people who have the same totem but are from different clans; for example clans that share the same totem
Shumba (lion) will show their different clansmanship by using a particular praise name like
Murambwe, or
Nyamuziwa. The foundations of the totems are inspired in rhymes that reference the history of the totem.The
Clan is the core of every Shona chiefdom. It is a group of agnatically related kinsmen and women who trace their descent from a common founding ancestor.
See also
External links
- Totem Spirit Animals: Discovering Animal Totems, Dictionaries, Feathers
- Historical Wonders of Sanxingdui
- Welcome to Sanxingdui (with history of excavation)
- Totems in Zimbabwe
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