Canlis', Honolulu, HI (restaurant) - Locating Tiki

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Wed, Feb 10, 2010 5:17 PM Looking at that Tiki totem pole and trying to figure out its stylistic elements got me stumped. I wonder if the rendering is based on imagination, or if there was a sculpture like it in or around the outside of the Restaurant. It just seems so specific on one hand, but so pieced together on the other: First of all, there was no totem-like Tiki stacking in old Hawaii as far as I know (in Maori-dom there was). But the MOUTH of the bottom Tiki is based on a famous Hawaiian idol -yet he has a little head between his legs (correction: on his belly), which is Maori ...!?? Buzzy, you know the Hawaiian carving tradition best, can you trace the influence on the top Tiki? And the rest? [ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2010-02-10 17:37 ]

Looking at that Tiki totem pole and trying to figure out its stylistic elements got me stumped. I wonder if the rendering is based on imagination, or if there was a sculpture like it in or around the outside of the Restaurant. It just seems so specific on one hand, but so pieced together on the other:

First of all, there was no totem-like Tiki stacking in old Hawaii as far as I know (in Maori-dom there was). But the MOUTH of the bottom Tiki is based on a famous Hawaiian idol -yet he has a little head between his legs (correction: on his belly), which is Maori ...!??

Buzzy, you know the Hawaiian carving tradition best, can you trace the influence on the top Tiki? And the rest?

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2010-02-10 17:37 ]

Post #510467 by bigbrotiki on Wed, Feb 10, 2010 5:17 PM