There are 8 different totems and you will be able to collect a total of 50.

How do you get the Totems?

When you get your first Master in a skill, you'll be told

I have masters in everything? So what am I not doing right?

You have to train a villager to Master 3 Skills to get a Totem.

Please edit the topic title and put SPOILER in it.

The reason that no one told her exactly how to do it before was because of the absence of SPOILER or POSSIBLE Spoiler in the topic title.

Actually, the game tells you how to get an elder the first time a villager masters a skill. It's really not much of a spoiler.

You know I never thought about there being a certain amount of totems, I'm not sure how many different ones, I know I do have the one sticking it's tongue out. I might have all eight and just didn't think to count them.
What determines what kind of totem you recieve? I have the dark blue one a lot. Does it have something to do with what they master in or not? I mean I wouldn't think so because I try very hard to get them to master the 3 easiest which is fishing,research and parenting. If there is something to build I try real hard to get that one first.

I have 2 totems now, one who is a master researcher, builder & last of all parent. She is now 65yo so dont know how long she will be with me. I have 4 master builders 2 of which are esteemed elders.

Thank you I have only 2 skills mastered so back I go!!!!!!!!!!