I recently had the wonderful experience of travelling along the Inside Passage in Alaska. The scenery and wildlife were stunning – certainly very different to that one sees in Australia.

As well as taking in the incredible views, I had the opportunity to learn more about the rich history and culture of the Native Peoples who have inhabited that part of the world for thousands of years. One aspect that was particularly interesting was that there was, and still is, widespread use of totem poles.

Totem poles have a number of functions – practical, ceremonial and decorative. Poles are typically carved from the local trees, usually cedars, and can be up to 20 metres high. They are often painted in vivid colours.

In some cases, the poles were used to memorialise important events – one recently made pole was created to protest the handling of the 1989 Exxon oil spill disaster. Others were used to mark burial sites. Sometimes they were used to impart lessons, especially to younger inhabitants. This was important in a society in which all members were expected to contribute, often in very harsh weather conditions, to the survival of the group. Large numbers of people from several distinct families would sometimes share a single clan house, and long periods of enforced close contact during the winters meant that “good behaviour” was highly valued – and vice versa. Learning to work together is also important to those in a university environment, particularly when it comes to working in groups and grappling with competing deadlines!

One fact I hadn’t realised was that there was no particular status attached to how high up on a pole an image was carved. Indeed, more care was often taken over those that would be closer to the ground when the pole was upright, as these were more easily visible. Thus, in those societies, there was nothing to gain – and perhaps even something to lose – from insisting that one be on “top of the totem pole”. A lesson perhaps worth noting for those who insist on being regarded with a high level of esteem, especially when there is little or no achievement to warrant it.