We are sensitive to the cultural appropriation discussion, and our choice to celebrate totems was certainly not ignorant to those concerns. We are a tribe. This is our totem. We are influenced by many traditions and many animal energies.

Rest assured, this IS our own original digital imagery, with multi-cultural influence. Each totem image was crafted by our community’s creative, Mark Goerner, they were each chosen for the type of energy they imbue, they are a symbolic representation of our community’s life force, they were informed by MANY traditions, notice the inclusion of the dragon, the tiger, the coyote, the monkey, the dove, the owl. The totem pole itself was not ripped off either, while it was inspired, in part, by Pacific NorthWest aesthetic, it is our collective representation of the archetypal energy of our tribe. This design was created by Matt Rodriguez, another one of our skilled artists.

Our use of the totem imagery and the totem concept incorporates and celebrates a way of life that is inspiring to us. Exploring the aspects of self that are represented by the various spirit animals is the second chapter of our six year story… if you haven’t read, we invite you to see the deeper intention of what is going on here https://lucidityfestival.com/lucidity-story/

And as always, we are open to your thoughts, beliefs, opinions, and criticisms.

“A totem is a being, object, or symbol representing an animal or plant that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, group, lineage, or tribe, reminding them of their ancestry (or mythic past).[1] 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. They have been around for many years.

Although the term is of Ojibwe origin in North America, totemistic beliefs are not limited to Native Americans and Aboriginal peoples in Canada. Similar totem-like beliefs have been historically present in societies throughout much of the world, including Africa, Arabia, Asia, Australia, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, 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 may refer to this as a totem. This non-traditional usage of the term is prevalent in the New Age movement and the mythopoetic men’s movement, among others.”