Doodem
/ˈduːdəm/noun
A clan or kinship group in Anishinaabe society, traditionally associated with a particular animal or other emblem.
Did you know?The English word “totem” ultimately comes from the same Anishinaabe concept, but doodem refers specifically to a clan-based social identity rather than simply an object of worship.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Algonquian period
Proto-Algonquian
*ote·m
“Reconstructed term associated with a person’s clan or kin group; the exact prehistoric form and meaning remain debated.”
17th–18th Century
Ojibwe
odoodem
“His or her clan, kinship group, or clan identity.”
18th Century
Ojibwe
doodem
“A clan or hereditary kin group; the initial vowel changes with grammatical context.”
18th Century
English
totem
“An adopted English form derived through contact with Algonquian-speaking peoples, especially Ojibwe.”
19th–20th Century
English
doodem
“A specialized anthropological and Indigenous-studies term for an Anishinaabe clan or clan system.”
Modern English
English
doodem
“An Anishinaabe clan or kinship group, often associated with an emblematic animal or other being.”