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What special powers could an individual totem give to its owner?

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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.

In the context of individual totemism, a totem is viewed as a companion, protector, or helper that shares a mystical bond of life and fate with its owner. This relationship can grant the owner special powers and abilities, which are often utilized by socially significant individuals such as medicine men and shamans.123

Specific powers and functions associated with an individual totem include:

Protection and Guidance: The totem acts as a guardian, watching over the individual while they sleep. It may alert the owner to the arrival of strangers or the presence of danger by returning to the person's body to provide information.3
Information Gathering: Through trances or sleep, a medicine man can dispatch his totem to collect information on his behalf.3
Sorcery: In some traditions, such as among the Wiradjuri, a medicine man may use his totem to perform acts of sorcery. By singing, he can send the totem to enter an enemy's body and cause them harm or death.3
Post-mortem Presence: The totem may continue to serve the owner even after death, such as by standing watch near the grave as a bright, flickering light.3