In my first game I zapped the totem with bees and even lightning, but I found that "kiting" worked better, and it didn't use up any god powers. The important thing is to drop your villagers on the near side of the totem to demolish it. If you drop them on the other side they'll see the scary red-masks and run away immediately. As well as kids, a nursing mother is useful as the decoy (if you have one, of course).