Post #229813 by AllisonV on Mon, May 1, 2006 2:32 PM

Hi everyone! Finding this board has made me so happy! I feel that I am among my people! Tiki ohana!

I grew up in the San Franciso Bay area, lived in San Diego for a few years, and am now in Milwaukee, WI (only a few blocks from Foundation - our tiki/punk bar!).

I believe that my tiki fandom started with my grandmother, who had a tropical backyard in the temperate Bay Area. I'm currently finishing a masters in Liberal Studies (American Studies/an interdisciplinary liberal arts degree), and my thesis is on Polynesian Pop! I'm sure there are MANY people in this forum who are MUCH more qualified to write it than me! I will be happy to share my sources (and the paper, thus far) with anyone who is interested, and please share your ideas with me! I'm concentrating on the food items and fads that went along with the tiki trend.

I love travelling, cooking and entertaining - we have a fire pit in our backyard, and an under-construction tiki bar in our house. I'm a big music lover, from punk to island music (from jamaican ska to tahitian otea) to jazz. I love art and crafts and DIY, and I am SO IMPRESSED with the work that people have posted in here! I promise to share some of my creations and trip photos!

Last, my roomate and sister-like pal runs a halau literally out of our house - I have many photos and stories to offer of their performances and the events I get to attend with them. Anyone in the midwest wanting to add some authentic polynesian performers to their party should let me know!

-Allison

Me at Akaka Falls on the Hilo side of the Big Island!