Post #249187 by bigbrotiki on Wed, Aug 16, 2006 12:01 AM

Arrrrgh! OK, one last time:
THIS IS NOT A THREAD AGAINST THE NEW TIKI ART MOVEMENT! (which to me is the most amazing explosion of creativity, something I would have never imagined, and basically all good.)

WE LOVE TIKI, OLD AND NEW, BECAUSE IT IS UN-AUTHENTIC! Un-authenticity is the very DEFINITION of Tiki! Anything beyond that is based on the ability to DIFFERENTIATE, to be able to tell where the un-authenticity went too far. (Which, I KNOW, is quite subjective.)

But just because some people here FELT personally insulted, then GOT personally insulted, and others chimed in who did not have a CLUE what this community is about, I will not let this thread stand as an attack on the ARTISTS out there that are inspired by vintage Tiki and Polynesian POP CULTURE, (which was inspired by authentic Polynesian culture.)

I believe Tangaroa said it very well earlier:

"TIKI implies something done well, as well as paying homage to classic Polynesian Pop.
UN-TIKI implies something badly done, with little or no regard to Poly Pop."

Now again, "well done" and "badly done" is very subjective (as we witnessed), but please allow me to explain more why I felt compelled to start this thread:

Today, the term and likeness of the Tiki has spread to a degree where often it has become a self-perpetuating image, with NO connection EITHER to vintage Polynesian Pop OR authentic Polynesian art. This thread is merely saying that not just ANY FACE WITH A TOOTHY GRIN AND BRIGHT ZIG ZAG LINES ON IT deserves to be called a Tiki.

To Tiki-philes it is painful to see the treasure trove of VINTAGE Polynesian Pop AND the amazing horn of plenty of AUTHENTIC Polynesian culture completely ignored or twisted to a degree where it has nothing to do with these sources.

I realize that this differentiation might seem ridiculously esoteric, nit-picky, and
subjective, and is hard to grasp for outsiders, but this is what this forum is all about.

And it is also about supporting any and all individual efforts to keep POLYNESIAN POP culture alive and rejuvenated with new ideas and interpretations, and totally allows any and all members to execute their personal taste and preferences. This is just a guide, not a rule book.

And about the above T-shirt:
It is all really simple! The shirt is Un-Tiki, and the image (IF IT IS NOT A KNOCK-OFF) is Tiki, because Derek Yaniger is a respected Tiki artist who has contributed his work (for free) to many well regarded Tiki events (BECAUSE of his talent to re-create the mid-century cartoon style of vintage Poly Pop), and in my opinion he cannot be faulted for trying to make a living, just as some new Tiki Bars might have to play the "wrong" music sometimes to keep the locals at bar.
Unfortunately, the shirt here wins and makes the whole thing rather Tiki-tacky. But actually, it would also make for a really cool insider joke, something that Bamboo Ben (the ol' punk!) would wear at the Hukilau, to offend us puritsts! :)

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2006-08-16 00:03 ]