Totem poles created for Wirral’s Tombstone Country Music Festival

Jun 9 2009 by Matt Hurst, Liverpool Daily Post

ORGANISERS hope two custom-made totem poles will add an air of authenticity to a country music festival.

Terry Abel, chairman of Tombstone Country Music Festival, said he felt like bringing something different to the Wirral event.

He managed to get hold of an old telegraph pole, a couple of chisels and a hammer.

After just a week’s work, Terry produced a piece of artwork he believes would not look out of place among the plains and buffalos of 19th-century USA.

He said: “It was a 20ft telegraph pole, which I chopped in half to get two pieces.

“I started at the top and had a look at some authentic totem poles, but I was working with completely different material wood-wise.

“This is very dry and splintery. You start off with one design and end up with another one.

“You’ve got to keep changing your mind, or the design, as you work down.”

The festival takes place over the weekend of Friday, July 31, to Sunday, August 2, at Wirral Rugby and Cricket Club, in Clatterbridge.

Visit www.tombstonecmc.co.uk for details.