Post #471298 by hanford_lemoore on Thu, Jul 23, 2009 6:30 PM

a) Explain exactly why Witco qualifies as Tiki, but Haitian & African “tourist art” does not.

Not all Witco is tiki, but the style (especially as it applies to tiki) was definitely a product of the mid-century Tiki movement. Tiki styles can differ greatly, and everyone here has their own styles of tiki they prefer over others. Why African carvings aren't more popular on this site probably comes from their style, and their style is a product of the artists' influences. They're not influenced by the poly pop movement, and it shows in their style.

b) Explain how “the Tiki lifestyle” has nothing to do with island living, even though Tiki Magazine’s subtitle would seem to contradict this theory.

I wouldn't say it has nothing to do with Island living. I think a lot of us here do wish we could pick up and move to a remote island. But we can't due to a million different reasons. The great thing that Tiki bars give us is the ability to escape the concrete jungles we live in and forget about life's problems for a while. I think the actual content of Tiki Magazine backs this up, regardless of what it's subtitle may be.

c) Explain why the drunken, obnoxious behavior of Parrotheads is not cool, but that of the Fraternal Order of Moai is.

The FOM dresses up to have a good time. Parrotheads dress down.

d) Explain how the inauthenticity of mid-century Tiki style is somehow more authentic than the South Seas mythology which inspired it.

It's authentic to the culture's roots: something born from the minds of Hollywood set dressers. This is the culture we celebrate here, and the actual South Seas mythology takes a back seat. But it's no different that enjoying Star Trek more than actual space exploration; some people simply prefer fake spaceships over real ones. It's okay to like South Seas mythology more than Tiki (I believe there are many here that do), but it's just not the focus of this site.

e) Explain why TC moderators get more kicks from categorizing and subcategorizing threads & subjects than from the drinks they’re writing about.

Trick question. I don't know a single TC Moderator who enjoys moving topics more than they do their tropical drinks.

~Hanford