Overview

Totemism is one of the oldest concepts in anthropology, famously studied by Émile Durkheim in The Elementary Forms of Religious Life. It describes a religious system where a group (a clan) identifies with a natural object (the totem), usually an animal like a bear, eagle, or kangaroo. The totem is sacred; it cannot be killed or eaten by members of the clan, except in specific rituals.

Core Idea

The core idea is social identity. The totem is not just a god; it is the flag of the clan. Durkheim argued that when the clan worships the totem, they are actually worshipping the clan itself—the power of society. The totem is the visible symbol of the invisible force that binds the group together.

Formal Definition

It is a complex of beliefs and rituals associated with a totem, which serves as a collective symbol for a social group. It involves rules of exogamy (you must marry outside your totem group) and taboo (you must not harm the totem).

Intuition

Think of a sports team. The “Chicago Bears.” The bear is their mascot (totem). Fans wear the bear logo, they identify with the “spirit” of the bear (strength), and they feel a bond with other fans. They are a “clan.” If you burn a Bears jersey, you are attacking the group. Totemism is this same instinct, but elevated to a sacred, religious duty in tribal societies.

Examples

  • Australian Aboriginals: The classic case study. Clans are divided into moieties (e.g., Eagle and Crow), and social life is organized around these totemic identities.
  • Native American Totem Poles: Monumental carvings that display the lineage and myths of the clan. They are not “worshipped” as idols but read as heraldry.
  • Boy Scouts: The use of animal patrols (Wolf Patrol, Owl Patrol) is a modern, secular form of totemism used to build group solidarity.

Common Misconceptions

  • It’s “animal worship”: They don’t worship the animal itself (a specific bear); they worship the principle of the bear, which represents their ancestors and their group soul.
  • It’s primitive: Claude Lévi-Strauss argued that totemism is actually a sophisticated intellectual system (“The Savage Mind”). Animals are chosen not because they are “good to eat” but because they are “good to think.” They provide a logical grid to classify the world and social groups.
  • Taboo: The prohibition against touching or eating the totem is the origin of the concept of taboo.
  • Animism: The belief that all things have spirits. Totemism is a specific form of animism organized around social groups.
  • Collective Consciousness: Durkheim’s term for the shared beliefs that the totem represents.

Applications

  • Nationalism: The American Eagle or the British Lion are national totems. They function exactly like tribal totems to rally the “clan” (nation).
  • Branding: Corporations use logos (Apple, Twitter bird) as totems to create brand loyalty and a sense of community among consumers.

Criticism / Limitations

  • The “Totemism” Illusion: Lévi-Strauss argued that “totemism” doesn’t really exist as a single, unified phenomenon. It was an invention of early anthropologists who lumped together various diverse practices of naming clans after animals.
  • Evolutionism: Early theories wrongly saw totemism as the “childhood” of religion, destined to evolve into monotheism. Modern anthropology rejects this ladder of progress.

Further Reading

  • Durkheim, Émile. The Elementary Forms of Religious Life. 1912.
  • Lévi-Strauss, Claude. Totemism. 1962.
  • Freud, Sigmund. Totem and Taboo. 1913. (A psychoanalytic, highly speculative take).