Sculptural Stories

Sculptural Stories. Many cultures use sculpture, in particular carvings, to record history and legends. Usually, those within the cultures are familiar with the stories being preserved, and are able to "read" the carvings. After learning about how other cultures preserve stories in sculpture, Global Explorers Kids created their own story sculptures out of painted wood (photo 4).

Totem poles. (photo 1) Totem poles are made by the Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest. Carved from giant trees, the totem poles tell stories. Usually the stories are about the family who had the pole made. Sometimes, the stories are about Native American legends. The stories are passed down orally, from parents to children. Those who are familiar with the stories are able to read the stories presented in the totem poles.

Royal altar tusks. (photo 2) Carved altar tusks are made by the Edo people of the Kingdom of Benin, in southern Nigeria, for a new oba (king), to honor his father. The carvings on the tusks tell stories of the Kingdom of Benin. The stories can be historical or mythical, or a combination of both. Many stories talk about the greatness of the oba’s father.

Whakairo. (photo 3) Whakairo is the term for Maori carving. Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand. The main media for carving is wood, jade, bone, stone, and human flesh (ta moko – tattooing). The carvings served as a way to record history and mythology.

Resources
Books
Totem Pole, by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith
Totem Tale: A Tall Story from Alaska, by Deb Vanasse

Online activities and resources
How to read Maori carving http://www.maori.org.nz/whakairo/
Animated Maori creation myth http://mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/2_maori_full.htm
Diagram of the Royal Altar Tusk at the Art Institute of Chicago http://www.artic.edu/artaccess/AA_Africa/pages/tusk_diagram.pdf
Stories told on the Royal Altar Tusk at the Art Institute of Chicago http://www.artic.edu/artaccess/AA_Africa/pages/oba.pdf
Haida totem poles http://www.k12.nf.ca/stbernards/totem/
Make your own totem pole printable
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/0876287887_63_64.pdf
Color a totem pole http://www.mrnussbaum.com/totemcoloring.htm
Build an online totem pole http://www.mrnussbaum.com/inttotem.htm
Totem pole story http://library.thinkquest.org/5160/salmonbearravenframes.html
Video look at totem poles on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpIUKGXKoVs&feature=related
Video look at Maori woodcarving on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rFBdMlzGVo

Around Town
The Field Museum of Chicago has examples of totem poles from the Indians of the Pacific Northwest, Maori Whakairo, and royal tusk carving. Visit these to see how other cultures tell stories through carving. Another example of a Royal Altar Tusk can be found at the Art Institute of Chicago, in the African galleries.