Word journey
The word totem
a clan emblem or guardian spirit
The journey
| Form | Language | Date | Sense |
|---|---|---|---|
| odoodeman | Ojibwe · Indigenous American Traditions | 1755 CE | his or her clan (doodem), named for an animal |
| totem | English (North America) · Indigenous American Traditions | 1755 CE | Algonquian clan emblem |
| totemism | English (anthropology) | 1869 CE | a supposed universal early stage of religion (McLennan) |
| totemism | English (anthropology) | 1910 CE | Frazer, Totemism and Exogamy; soon challenged by Goldenweiser |
What is certain and what is not
John Long's 1791 travels (spelled "totam") are often cited as the first English use, though Dictionary.com dates the word to 1750-60. Long described a personal guardian, not a clan emblem. The Ojibwe word means a clan relation ("my clan"), not an object.