Post #483855 by bigbrotiki on Wed, Sep 16, 2009 10:31 PM

Just to follow up and confirm:

You were right, folks, most of the Disney Tangaroa Babies were inspired by the mini figures on the body of the this unique Tiki from Rurutu. Here's the best photo of it I could find on the net, you can recognize the Tiki baby on the right on it:

He's one of the treasures of the British Museum, here's some more info:

"There is debate about which of the Rurutu gods the figure represents. John Williams identifies it as A'a. The god is depicted in the process of creating other gods and men: his creations cover the surface of his body as thirty small figures. The figure itself is hollow, a removable panel on its back reveals a cavity which originally contained twenty-four small figures. These were removed and destroyed in 1882. Contemporary Rurutuans explain that the exterior figures correspond to the kinship groups that make up their society, and propose a number of theories about the relationship between the figure and Christianity. It is carved from hardwood, probably from pua (Fagraea sp)."

Here's one more example showing another form of the head-holding type Tiki, a Solomon Islands canoe prow carving, this one being associated with head hunting:

But back to the "Tahitian Cannibal Carvings" at hand:
Here's a fine vintage rendering of the Eater, from a menu, really showing the "pulling out from between the legs" concept...

...and a circa 1940s illustration of the Trader Vic's Oakland store, showing the Catcher: