Totem

A totem (Ojibwe dodaem) is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe. While the term "totem" is Ojibwe, belief in tutelary spirits and deities is not limited to indigenous peoples of the Americas but common to a number of cultures worldwide, such as Africa, Arabia, Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Arctic. However, the traditional people of those cultures have words for their guardian spirits in their own languages, and do not call these spirits or symbols, "totems". Contemporary neoshamanic, New Age and mythopoetic men's movements not otherwise involved in the practice of a tribal religion may misappropriate and use "totem" terminology for the personal identification with a tutelary spirit or guide.

Native North American totems

The word totem comes from the Ojibway word dodaem and means "brother/sister kin". It is the archetypal symbol, animal or plant of hereditary clan affiliations. People from the same clan have the same clan totem and are considered immediate family. It is taboo to marry someone of the same clan.

Totems (video game)

Totems (officially TOTEMS) is a cancelled video game for the Xbox 360 and PC developed by 10Tacle Studios Belgium.

Gameplay, story and universe

Totems is a 3D platformer for the Xbox 360 and PC. The player controls the main character Gia, a parkour expert. Gia inherits various powers from four different animal totem spirits. Totems utilizes a Semantic Environment Sensing System (SESS), meaning all of these actions can be performed with one button and Gia will react automatically according to the place she is in the world. Each spirit will be mapped to a face button on the 360 controller enabling players to pull off parkour moves and attacks very quickly. The game contains a non-linear world placed on a fictional island and a highly interactive environment. The enemies Gia encounters are able to perform similar acrobatic abilities and their AI enables them to follow Gia wherever she goes. The developers are creating a whole new shaman mythology for Totems.

10tacle Studios Belgium