Post #283514 by Psycho Tiki D on Tue, Feb 6, 2007 8:56 AM

I really don’t want to give anyone the wrong impression; I truly appreciated the gift of the carved coconut monkey piggy bank. I have proudly (and tastefully) displayed the monkey amongst my other tiki items. I have never snubbed a gift, no matter how off-base it may be and I am most assured that my mom gave it to me out of love and an attempt to feel connected to something I enjoy.

I believe there are “six degrees of separation” between those who truly get it to those who don’t
care about it at all.

Degree six: People who completely despise tiki. These individuals see the genre as “junk culture”, a throwaway, trash object with little, if any, artistic value. This would also include puritanical fanatics that view tiki as a taboo and anti-religious cult.

Degree five: The person who could absolutely care less about the genre, but “thinks” they have a treasure and are either holding it over your head or trying to gouge you when they go to sell it. “This is a rare, hard-to-find, one-of-a kind, vintage item”-although, typically it isn’t.

Degree four: The person who snubs your collection; “why do you like that”, “I don’t get the whole tiki thing”, “you paid how much for that, are you crazy” and “you’re not going to buy that, are you”? They “go-along” with your vice and have compassion for your addiction, since they generally have one themselves,
I find this comes mostly from friends I used to have other collecting habits in common with, although, family sometimes has this same mindset.

Degree three: The person who likes your collection; they compliment you on your presentation, ask questions and seem genuinely interested in tiki and Polynesian in general. Not a collector per se, but the possibility of a candle flicker of hope is there. At the very least, this individual likes to come over for free drinks!

Degree two: This person will almost always consist of close friends and family members. Typically, these individuals are loyally supportive to a fault. They know bits and pieces about true tiki culture; they will go in the wild with you to hunt for tiki, they will go to tiki bars and establishments with you and will even, from time-to-time, surprise you with a tiki item they have bought on their own. They allow you to overwhelm them with your nonsense and yes, even some of these people go on to be tiki collectors themselves.

Degree one: Us..TC’ers…diehard, up at dawn, down to earth collectors. Passionate about tiki, always looking for more information and willing to share what is discovered. Again, basically anyone who participates in and contributes to the board and who supports tiki culture, past and present.

I probably have missed some specific characteristics, add to the list if you think of something I missed.

Psycho Tiki D (I know I am in the first degree).