Post #4132 by Kailuageoff on Tue, Jul 23, 2002 8:21 AM

Good going Gecko! I think it will be of major importance to stress some of the points Sven makes in the video about the charm and naivete of America's love affair with things Polynesian in the 1950's and 60's.. that it represents fondness and harmless escapism, not corporate commercialization of a culture, or some sort of racist attitude towards Polynesians.
In fact, I think you could really help this guy understand our passion and perspective by giving him a copy of Sven's video in addition to the Book of Tiki.
I also think it would be good to explain that the hotelier has a rare opportunity to catch a cultural wave just starting to crest on the Mainland and pay homage to the foundationations of Hawaiii's modern tourism industry. They can do this by recreating a slice of what brought our parents and grandparents to Hawaii in the first place -- tiki's, exotica music, Hapa Haole music, sipping tropical drinks in fresh pineapples, coconuts and tiki mugs, decorations in the Trader Vics and Don the Beachcomber style. Tell him Hawaiian's like Alfred Apaka and Arthur Lyman were founders too, not just White Guys from the Mainland.
As to the question of whether people would pay to experience these things again, tell him a first-ever tiki event in Atlanta sold out last weekend.
You also could explain that there is no shortage of tiki culture artisan's ready to help transform their space. Oceanic Arts, our own Bamboo Ben, Wayne Coombs in Cocoa Beach, as well as yourself could be enlisted.
Maybe Sven could authenticate the project for them.
Of course, I know you are aware of all these things. So, buy the dude a Zombie, entreat the powers of the tiki gods, and really impress on him the main things you want him to remember awhen he wakes up the next morning.
Aloha and good luck.