Post #471779 by chiwito on Sun, Jul 26, 2009 8:41 AM

On 2009-07-26 06:35, Tiki Motu wrote:
Aloha Tiki Centralites!,
Since being made redundant from my job, I have gone 'back to school' to do a Graphic Design Course.
As part of a College project, I need to ask some questions from fellow Tiki lovers.
I would very much appreciate it if any of you could answer these questions for me,

1...What was the spark that attracted you to Tiki?

2...Have You always felt drawn to it for as long as you can remember?

3...Do you know of many others personally who share this interest in Tiki?

4...Are you always on the lookout for something new in Tiki?

5...Do you ever go shopping with the expectation of finding something to add to your Tiki collection?

6...If so, what Tiki-themed objects are you mainly looking for - Clothing?, Carvings?, Mugs?, Art?, Home Decor?

7...Does your interest in Tiki influence where you spend your vacation?
If so, where did you go?

Thankyou so very much for your time!
Tiki Motu
Sydney, Australia

1. I've always been interested in anything which reminded me of places south and warm, and on the water. I'm into tiki for the same reasons that I'm a parrothead, and that my first musical interest back in high school was the beach boys. I've never been to Hawaii or Polynesia, but I've always loved the pop culure reflections of those places. My best vacations have been in warm watery locales, such as the west coast of your country, as well as Bali, Hong Kong, the coasts of Mexico and Costa Rica, and especially the Caribbean [and cruises Anywhere].

2. I've been drawn to the zeitgeist expressed in answer #1 forever. This has led me to love various tiki establishments for as long as I can remember, but I only really became interested in tiki per se in the last dozen years or so. In 1998, I married someone who shared my desire to be south and warm, and who also had a smallish mug collection she had been acquiring since her college days as a server at a Sheraten Kon Tiki. The mugs fit well with my mild attempts at tropical and surf decor, and after she passed away I just continued moving that direction with the ambiance of my bar room.

3. Personal friends with a strong interest in tiki, not really. However, most of my close friends are semi-regulars at Forbidden Island, Tiki Tom's, and/or Conga Lounge; conversely, a fair number of Bay Area tikiphiles, including the owners or co-owners of those places, are acquaintances over the years I've been frequenting them.

4. Yes, definitely.

5. Yes, definitely.

6. Mugs, mainly. Whenever I go to a new tiki bar, I check whether they have mugs for sale. I always wear Hawaiian shirts, so I'm always looking for those, but that was true long before I got into tiki per se.

7. I can't say it does specifically, although my more general interest in tropical coasts and island has motivated every vacation I've ever taken since I quit skiing twenty five years ago. My wife and I plan to honeymoon in Hawaii when we have the time. She loves the islands and I've always wanted to go there. She's not at all a tiki person but she really loves the drinks at Forbidden Island and the food and atmosphere at Trader Vic's. The locations for our first date, Forbidden Island, and our wedding, Tiki Tom's, were both her idea, as was the honeymoon in Hawaii. I also want to get back to the west coast of your beautiful country. Cottesloe and Albany are two of my favorite places.

Hope this helped,

chiwito