Photo-a-Day (Wednesday, 21st August, 2019)
Amberswood Lake
Photo: Mick Byrne (Panasonic DMC-TZ100)
I suppose they are Wigan's attempt at totem poles. Is this between Ince and Hindley along Manchester road.
Nice photo Mick. What is the totem pole for?
Not a lot of Wiganers will have seen this pole, unless they can ride a bike or have a good pair of legs.
Ken the pole was erected to mark the spot were the pitmen of Hindley, Springs view and Ince got together to smoke a peace pipe and drink fire water when they stop having clog fighting matches between one another.
In recent years fishermen from the three areas gather to celebrate the catching of the giant Amberswood carp, they dont smoke the peace pipe any more, they just vape and drink cans of strong ale
Just wondering what the purpose of these carvings are for. I can see they represent nature - as in fish, birds and sun......
Micks attempt at humour is somewhat lacking.
Mick was just having a genial modern-day Pow wow, John, as I'm sure you know.
Yet I spare a thought for the amiable Big Chief - as he was then known -, a character who I and other children became aware of during the late 1950s. He was often seen greeting most of those whom he had later passed, with a raised palm, and informative statements, such as, 'How!, Many buffalo cut telegraph wire', How! Iron Horse comes this way' . . .
A 'character' whom no longer walks among us.
God Bless his simple soul.
Veronica...that's exactly what they are.
If I hear an Injun war dance and smoke signals in the sky when I'm going past on the bus I'll know what the totem pole is for!