What are totem poles? Totem poles are monuments created by First Nations of the Pacific Northwest to represent and commemorate ancestry, histories, people, or events. Totem poles are typically created out of red cedar, a malleable wood relatively abundant in the Pacific Northwest, and would be erected to be visible within a community. Print available on aluminum. #imagesofcanada #hellobc #totempoles #springtime #beautifulbritishcolumbia #pocket_canada #hazelton #sylviahart #pacificnorthwest