Post #370740 by bigbrotiki on Tue, Apr 1, 2008 12:53 PM

On a historic level, Tiki was just one of many gods of the Polynesian pantheon. So your question really means if the traditional Polynesian religions are still practiced. I believe yes, in some form, by individuals and small groups, in the islands and on the mainland. But I doubt that there is any particular emphasis on only the god Tiki per se.

For me personally, Tiki has two religious connotations that I like:

A.) Tiki is the god of the artists. That alone is wonderful. Art is my religion. It inspires me, it makes me seek it, I want to serve it. And I believe that all the artists here are "practicing" Tiki's religion, too, by being creative. Tiki's ever changing image is proof of the creative possibilities of man.

B.) The fact that Tiki was a Demi-god, half man, half divine. To me, he was sort of like the Silver Surfer, more than man, less than god, just a really cool, wise guy. Just like Jesus or Buddha. Maybe with more quirks. Exemplifying the possibility of the divine in every human being.