Low Man on the Totem Pole

Etymology:

• Many years ago, it was customary among Native Americans to carve, images and symbols in long wood sticks or shafts. The symbols depicting human figures and faces were called totems and the tall pole was being called totem pole. We know “lowest” means very low or least such as “lowest pay”, “lowest score”, but perhaps the lowest face or figure on the totem pole was least important. The person who made this idiom might have thought that way, but we only know the phrase really caught on.