[hill-tout] TOTEMISM : ITS ORIGIN AND MPORT 63 



cine societies ' and tlien ' religious societies '. . . . These societies 

 are also named, and the names of the societies are their totems, so 

 that totemism pertains to individual names, to clan names, to tribal 

 names, and also to society names. 



'' The name which the individual assumes at puberty is the totem 

 name of the individual; it is also the name of the thing for which the 

 individual is named, . . . When shamanistic societies are organized, 

 their names are also their totems, and apply to the societies as well 

 as to the things to whidi they are devoted. This is the Amerindian 

 custom, and is also the custom of American students. 



" In tribal society we find very interesting superstitions about 

 names, for the name is held to be an inherent attribute or property of 

 the thing; again, the object from which the puberty name of the 

 individual is taken becomes his tutelar deity. In like manner the 

 totem name of the clan, the gens, and the tribe severally become 

 tutelar deities of these bodies. Such are the customs and supersti- 

 tions of the Amerinds about names, and we call this doctrine of naming 

 totemism." 



Now at first sight this " doctrine of naming " seems to be lacking 

 in scientific precision. Indeed, Major Powell's critics have found 

 fault with it upon this very ground. One of them says : " it is diffi- 

 cult to see the advantage of a system of nomenclature where everything 

 is called by the same name."^ Another says : "I must confess to feeling 

 a little bewildered by this terminology and I venture to think it will 

 not prove of much service in advancing our knowledge." ^ But this is 

 not really the case. To regard it in this light is to fail entirely to 

 appreciate the American point of view. 



To rightly comprehend how the word totem may logically and con- 

 sistently include so many apparently diverse ideas we must examine into 

 the nature of those ideas to see if they are really as diverse as they 

 appear to be; and are not merely so many different expressions of a 

 common underlying concept. 



Upon analysis we find the following elements comprised under 

 this "doctrine of naming": — 



1. The name acquired by a person during the puberty ceremonials. 



2. The object or thing from which the name is taken. 



3. The symbol or representation of the object. 



rl. The name of a group of people united by ties of consanguinity. 

 B -^2. The object from which that name is taken. 



^3. The crest or kindred-symbol or representation of the object. 



' Man., 1902, Article 85. 



^ Pres'ldential address of Dr. A. C. Haddon before the Anthrop. Sect, of 

 the B.A.A.S., Belfast, 1902. 



