Welcome to the Tiki Central 2.0 Beta. Read the announcement
Celebrating classic and modern Polynesian Pop

Tiki Central / General Tiki / Giant Tiki Head in Tucson?

Post #376527 by ikitnrev on Sat, Apr 26, 2008 8:13 PM

You are viewing a single post. Click here to view the post in context.
I

The following is an article for the Arizona Star
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/236081

'Community Rallies to Save Giant Tiki Head'

Sometimes it takes an endangered giant tiki head to bring a community together.

That's what has happened after the announcement that Magic Carpet Golf, 6125 E. Speedway, had been sold to a local car dealership for $1.8 million in January and the aging putt-putt golf course was closing. Suddenly the notion that the statues that made Magic Carpet so groovy — the humongous monkey, the weird green alien thing, the iconic tiki head — could bite the dust was too much to take.

"So many dedicated people and such a diverse group are passionate in working together to save these statues," he said. "People have put all their love and community-building into it."

Local artists have made paintings of the course, which will be auctioned at the fund-raiser today. There will also be music, performance art and raffles.
"We've had 110 to 120 inquiries from companies and individuals, so I'm pretty confident we'll be able to place all of them," said Valley of the Moon spokesman Charlie Spillar.

Farley said a committee will look at the requests and decide which sculpture should go where, with preference going to new homes that will allow the public to continue to enjoy the statues. A prime piece has already been spoken for: The Hut, a tiki-themed bar on North Fourth Avenue, is making room for the mondo tiki head and is raising money to pay moving expenses.

We like Farley's vision of the Magic Carpet sculptures dotting the Tucson landscape in front of businesses, nonprofit agencies, museums or maybe even parks.

"It becomes a great city-wide treasure hunt," he said.