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What actions are often forbidden toward a totem animal or plant?
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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.
In the context of totemism, the relationship between a social group or an individual and their totem—an animal, plant, or natural object—is often defined by specific prohibitions, or taboos, intended to show respect and maintain a mystical bond.12
Commonly forbidden actions toward a totem include:
- Killing: In many traditions, it is strictly prohibited to kill the totem animal or destroy the totem plant.12
- Eating: There is frequently a strong prohibition against consuming the totem species. For example, among the Wiradjuri people, eating one's totem is considered equivalent to consuming one's own flesh or that of a parent, with the belief that such a breach of taboo can result in sickness or death.13
- Touching: In various cultures, physical contact with the totem is restricted or forbidden.1
These prohibitions are rooted in the belief that the totem acts as a protector, relative, or companion. Because of the intimate, often life-sharing bond between a person and their totem, any injury or offense committed against the totem is believed to have an automatic, negative effect on the person associated with it.134