ROTHBURY, MI - Whether to convey a message, rally a group or simply for fun, totems have become integral to Electric Forest.

Totems have been popular at festivals for years, but many have banned the creative pieces because they can block the audience's view of the stage. At Electric Forest, however, the totems have been embraced and seem to be growing in popularity each year.

At any show throughout the weekend, attendees will see hundreds of towering, stick-like figures known as "totems" carried by festivalgoers.

The types of things featured on totems are elaborate and varied. Sometimes they're random; other times they're closely calculated and thought out, but all of them show the spirit and creativity of those who carry them with pride.

The Zoo Crew of Kalamazoo fashioned its totem to reflect its wild animal theme and members. The totem featured pictures of animals with photos of crew member's faces pasted over the heads. Each person chose their own "spirit animal" for the totem.

A fox is the spirit animal of Zoo Crew organizer Christina Donley, of Kalamazoo.

"That's my face," said Jimmer Kline, 24, of Grand Rapids, talking about his group's totem.

Fam Bam Wam Jam is led by Kline who was a fourth-time Electric Forest attendee this year.

The group's totem was an edited, distorted photo of Kline's face with huge eyes and mouth. The double-sided totem also had lights inside it.

One totem resembled a Chia pet, but that was far from the creator's intention.

"It is the procrastination and duality of man," said Jacob Magee, 21, of Winter Park, Colo., who was a first-year attendee.

The six-foot-tall totem was topped with a foam head that had short hair made of some kind of moss or other plant - that's the portion that made it look like a Chia pet. The head also featured multiple googly eyes over the eye area.

"Multiple eyes represent an overstimulated society," Magee said.

The staff featured a juxtaposition of real and fake and plants.

In today's society basic things get left behind, Magee said. The totem served as a reminder to appreciate the Forest.

A 16-foot-tall staff topped with a homemade gray flag decorated with mountains and sunshine on one side and a representation of sound vibration on the other caught the eyes of many passersby as general admission campers waited for the venue gates to open on Thursday, June 22.

The flag was designed by Kelly Laporte and Kris Duval, both 26, of Montreal, Canada. They were at Electric Forest for the first time with a group of 12 from Canada.

The designs on their flag were made out of blue and purple tie-dye t-shirts. The flagpole also had a blow-up palm tree at the top.

Electric Forest rules state that the totems can only be 7-feet tall, but many taller totems form once inside. Some are retractable.

The Good Vibes Tribe totem was as shiny as possible, so as to be easily seen. One side said "Good Vibes Tribe: Vibe With Us." The other side said "Free Hugs 4 Forest Fam."

The totem was wielded by Josh Melfi, 24, of Niles, Ill.

"Good vibes - you can't let a bad minute ruin your day. Just go with the flow," said Melfi who was dressed up as Sully from the movie "Monsters, Inc." with a friend who was dressed up as Boo.

Totems are just another way Electric Forest creates a scene like nowhere else.

The popular music and camping festival is in its seventh year at Double JJ Resort. Electric Forest organizers estimate the 2017 first weekend's attendance at 40,000.

Find all of MLive's coverage of Electric Forest 2017 here.