Post #374988 by bigbrotiki on Sun, Apr 20, 2008 9:50 PM

On 2008-04-20 16:22, Kaiwaza wrote:
I'm just not sure how I could possibly consider a "movement" or "style" that combined Polynesian artifacts (many bearing no resemblence to any actual diety or personification, some made as trinkets specifically to sell to tourists), monkeys, fezes, animal prints (all unknown in Polynesia), music written & performed nearly completely by Mainland Americans (intentionally having "fun" with Oriental, Polynesian, Latin, African music), drinks with names like "Zombie" and "Missionary Downfall", Caribbean Rum, relocating geographic entities (Bali Hai) as being "culturaly authentic."

That is exactly what I have tried (in many people's eyes successfully) to prove and to establish with the "Book of Tiki":
Tiki style is an authentic facet of American popular culture. As such it has had its heyday, its peak, where all stylistic elements were at their best. AFTER this peak, it became degraded and watered down, or NOT AUTHENTIC 50s/60s Polynesian pop, and eventually disappeared almost completely. Garishly painted Tikis clearly are signs of this degradation of an authentic pop culture style.

Some people get this, others don't.