CHAPTER VIII

THE ORIGIN OF TOTEM NAMES AND BELIEFS

Sacred animals in savage society--Proposed restriction of the use of the word ‘totem’--The word ‘totem’--The totem ‘cult’--‘Totem gods’--Savage speculations as to the origin of totemism--Modern theories--Mr. Max Müller’s theory--The theory of Mr. Herbert Spencer--Mr. Frazer’s theories--Suggestion of Mr. N. W. Thomas--Dr. Wilken’s theory--Miss Alice Fletcher’s theory--Mr. Hill Tout’s theory--Messrs. Hose and McDougall--Mr. Haddon’s theory--An objection to all the theories enumerated--Statement of the problem--The author’s own conjecture--The connection between groups and totems--No ‘disease of language’--Hypothetical early groups before totemism--How the groups got names--Illustration from folk-lore--How the names became known--Totemic and other group names. English and North American Indian--Theory that Siouan gentes names are of European origin