The Totem that Offends - Berlin, NJ
N 39° 48.026 W 074° 56.465
18S E 505043 N 4405609
There is a colorful totem pole located at the Berlin Cemetery. The totem pole was not well received by a visiting Indian dignitary. It seems a former cemetery caretaker carved the pole about 25 years ago.
Waymark Code: WMAEWD
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 01/06/2011
Views: 15
A new waymarking friend of mine, Beth, who is a member of the local society and plugged in to all things history, gave me some information about the totem pole. From her e-mail:The totem pole is a sore point. There is an Indian family buried there (a father, mother, and one child) that had frozen to death near the pond in Berlin Park. The totem pole was carved by a local resident who just liked to carve them but didn't research the protocol for carving totem poles. A representative of a local tribe came to see the grave and discuss a ceremony, but went away very angry at the totem pole. I need to find out if the totem pole was carved specifically for the visit or if it was a coincidence that it was where when the Native American came for his visit.
As for the totem pole. I can't say much about how they are supposed to be or the protocol for carving them, all I can say, whatever it is, it is colorful, eye-catching and something I'd like to have in my backyard. It has five weird looking 'heads' that resemble something out of a child's imagination or nightmare. I do not know if a chainsaw was used but I do see lots of traces of smaller tool marks all around the pole. The grave of the Indians are nearby and are marked by an unmarked wooden post sticking out of the ground a few feet away