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How does the idea of an alter ego relate to individual totemism?

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totem fish mask — Totemism Totem fish mask from the Orokolo Bay area of New Guinea. Painted bark cloth over rattan frame with fringe of dried grass. Height 1.63 m.

Individual totemism is characterized by an intimate, protective bond between a person and a specific animal or natural object, a relationship often conceptualized through the idea of an alter ego.1

In this context, the alter ego represents a "life index" or a parallel existence where the human and their totem share a mutual, inseparable bond of life and fate. This connection implies that the two entities are so closely linked that any injury, sickness, or death experienced by one partner is automatically visited upon the other.21

Because of this shared destiny, the individual totem is often subject to strict taboos, such as prohibitions against killing or eating the animal. This concept is frequently associated with socially significant figures like medicine men and shamans, who may identify with their totem to gain special powers, use it as a helper in trances, or even employ it for sorcery. Ultimately, the alter ego serves as a manifestation of the mystical identification between a person and their totem, grounding their survival in the well-being of the other.1342