Hi Alexis, WELCOME to the Board! Especially since you're an Aussie -- Yee hah! Yippee - another-ee! Glad to have you with us.

Totem is a good word, although I guess it depends on your definition. This from the Cambridge International English Dictionary:

totem
noun [C]
an object which is respected by a group of people, esp. for religious reasons
Television is sometimes seen as a totem of modern society.

totem pole
A totem pole is a tall wooden pole with symbols cut or painted on it, which is part of the tradition of the Native Americans of the west coast of Canada and the northern USA.

If I was to use totem I would probably use it with a broader definition than in the religious sense, so I think your suggestion is a good one!