Post #509607 by bigbrotiki on Sun, Feb 7, 2010 10:43 AM

I am sure it was not used here at any point in time. One of the main differences between American and Spanish Tiki culture is that its iconography has a heavy emphasis on Melanesian imagery, while American Tiki uses mostly Polynesian artifacts. That coaster from the Mauna Loa above is based on a Melanesian Uli ancestor carving:

One could say that Spanish Tiki is even more based on fantasy, as American Tiki related to its direct experience with neighboring Hawaii, but Spanish Tiki had no such direct inspiration --it was triggered by American Tiki, but then veered off on its own, apparently relying heavily on Melanesian art books, and the designers' imagination. That's why I like to compare it to a Cargo cult.

One of most telling examples of that fact is that I know of NO American Tiki bar that ever called itself a "Melanesian Bar", as the Bora Bora in Madrid did for a while:

(...while the border of the menu and the font are more Balinese in style !?)

Actually, Zeta, did you ever I.D. that carving in the center? Where is it from, and what is it? A canoe prow...?

American Tiki establishments always referred to themselves as Polynesian --even when they DID use Melanesian or Micronesian images for their logo:

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2010-02-07 20:43 ]