Why Tiki = Tacky, yet African and Asian is traditional - General Tiki

I ikitnrev Tiki Socialite D.C. / Virginia Joined: Jul 27, 2002 Posts: 1325	I ikitnrev Posted posted on Wed, Apr 30, 2008 7:24 PM African decor can represent a wide range of things. On one hand, it can bring imagery of the Teddy Roosevelt 'big-game hunter' and the trophies from the era, and thus the imagery of the European explorer wearing the khaki outfit with the pith helmet, coming home with the elephant tusks, the leopard skins, or the umbrella stands made from an elephant's foot. (I have an old college textbook with a photograph - the caption says 'The giraffe in its natural environment', the photo shows a dead giraffe lying on the ground, surrounded by a group of hunters) Todays era is focused less on hunting, but the game preserves are still very popular, so one still sees lots of decor with the wild animal/nature preserve theme. On the other hand, there is the more primitive style African art which more resembles tiki art - the tribal masks, the wood carvings, or the warriors with spears. I've always considered the main market for these to be African Americans, who are trying to build a decor that might honor their ancestral heritage. The imagery may be somewhat generic, especially when you cannot be sure of what part of Africa your ancestors came from. Calling one's persons personal heritage 'tacky' can be seen as quite rude, so it tends not to be done - even though the markets may be overflowing with cheaply made products - after all, even those earning very little money may feel the need to have something in their home to symbolize their heritage. Likewise, the environmental/game preserve/hunt-with-cameras-only genre is still somewhat relatively new, and most people have a hard time calling animal-based art tacky. The old explorer-theme decor tends to have the tacky label stick to it when thrown in its direction - perhaps because those ideals have fallen out of favor. Perhaps the tiki figures were not seen as being tacky during the 50's and 60's, because the connection with the returning South Pacific military was still strong. 50 years later, as that population ages, that connection may not be as strong, and it is thus easier to label tiki as being tacky.

African decor can represent a wide range of things. On one hand, it can bring imagery of the Teddy Roosevelt 'big-game hunter' and the trophies from the era, and thus the imagery of the European explorer wearing the khaki outfit with the pith helmet, coming home with the elephant tusks, the leopard skins, or the umbrella stands made from an elephant's foot. (I have an old college textbook with a photograph - the caption says 'The giraffe in its natural environment', the photo shows a dead giraffe lying on the ground, surrounded by a group of hunters) Todays era is focused less on hunting, but the game preserves are still very popular, so one still sees lots of decor with the wild animal/nature preserve theme.

On the other hand, there is the more primitive style African art which more resembles tiki art - the tribal masks, the wood carvings, or the warriors with spears. I've always considered the main market for these to be African Americans, who are trying to build a decor that might honor their ancestral heritage. The imagery may be somewhat generic, especially when you cannot be sure of what part of Africa your ancestors came from.

Calling one's persons personal heritage 'tacky' can be seen as quite rude, so it tends not to be done - even though the markets may be overflowing with cheaply made products - after all, even those earning very little money may feel the need to have something in their home to symbolize their heritage.

Likewise, the environmental/game preserve/hunt-with-cameras-only genre is still somewhat relatively new, and most people have a hard time calling animal-based art tacky.

The old explorer-theme decor tends to have the tacky label stick to it when thrown in its direction - perhaps because those ideals have fallen out of favor.

Perhaps the tiki figures were not seen as being tacky during the 50's and 60's, because the connection with the returning South Pacific military was still strong. 50 years later, as that population ages, that connection may not be as strong, and it is thus easier to label tiki as being tacky.

Post #377334 by ikitnrev on Wed, Apr 30, 2008 7:24 PM