Both in its symbolic meaning of a protector and as a representative of spiritual matters, the totem pole suggests strength and power. In a dream a totem pole can link us back to a very basic human need for protection. It is not the protection afforded by a father, but by those natural forces whose energy is powerful enough to be used by us. When an object revered as a sacred article is given enough power by a joint belief, the thing itself is perceived as taking on a power of its own. One such object is the totem. When it appears in dreams we need to be looking at our belief systems to discover whether we are really living according to those beliefs. In ordinary everyday terms, a totem pole in dreams will signify a standard or representation of ethics. It suggests a hierarchy of importance that may or may not have seemed significant to us thus far. You might also like to consult the entry for Native American in Indigenous Peoples as well as the information on Spiritual Imagery in the Introduction.