Post #354041 by bigbrotiki on Thu, Jan 10, 2008 9:47 AM

Aaaaw, so you did take it personal. I am sorry.
You have to see the bigger picture here to understand where I am coming from. I care very deeply about Tiki or else I would not have not written two big fat books about it. As one of the main instigators of the the Tiki revival I feel a responsibility to the art form. The original mid-century Tiki culture faltered in the 70s and 80s when its main icon, the carved idol commonly referred to as Tiki, was, among other things, cutesied up by being painted in bright colors, and the whole culture was watered down to a non-specific "tropical" theme. It was the Devolution of Tiki. Eventually it was completely forgotten.

I do not want this to happen again, so when someone posts something like that as "cool Tiki" on this public, and also educational forum, I reserve the right to point out that it is a bad example of the style. I know I am fighting for a lost cause, and that everyone can and WILL do what they want, but so be it.

Bright and colorful is not necessarily wrong, but it is more Hawaiiana/Carribean/generic Island-style than Tiki.