Have We Just Experienced the Latest Wave of a Tiki Resurgence, and resulting Devolution? - General Tiki

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Mon, Apr 25, 2011 9:05 AM Nicely philosophized, trutiki. "Fortifying the fulcrum", I like that! But we may lament the fact that some folks think that over-colorized party store Tikis represent all there is, right? On 2011-04-25 03:03, Bongo Bungalow wrote: I don't know enough to add much to this thread. But isn't it a bit unique that this tiki movement, or whatever you want to call it, includes not only collecting artifacts, studying history, creating new art, but also the expectation that others will open and maintain bars/restaurants devoted to the movement. This stems from the fact that Tiki style is, as far as I can see, the only pop culture that was firmly based on restaurant decor. It was the restaurants who introduced Tiki images to the people on a larger scale. It was the restaurants who had the money to go all out in the style, and thus inspired people to build their own backyard or downstairs Polynesias, and it was the restaurants that made developers utilize concepts like waterfalls, Tiki torches, and Tiki support posts for apartment buildings and motels. Only when that happened did Tiki become a pop genre BEYOND restaurants - but it is they who were the inventors of the style's language. On 2011-04-25 07:14, christiki295 wrote: Alternatively, Polynesian cuisine could be considered its own genre like Chinese or Indian, yet these are linked to an ethnic group, whereas Tiki does not necessarily equate to Pacific Islander. If anything, the waitresses wear Chinese-inspired gowns, and the menu has such Chinese mainstays as Kung Pao Chicken. And here-in lies the crux and the contradiction for 21st Century Tiki restaurants: We want them to have the old classic Tiki temple decor, but we don't want to eat that ol' Chinese MSG glob there anymore. They have to come up with a Pacific rim modern version of that cuisine that makes them special, because nowadays there is ten-fold competition from all the other exotic cuisines available to the customer, while back in the mid-century, Chinese food was the most exotic food you could find. [ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2011-04-25 09:07 ]

Nicely philosophized, trutiki. "Fortifying the fulcrum", I like that! But we may lament the fact that some folks think that over-colorized party store Tikis represent all there is, right?

On 2011-04-25 03:03, Bongo Bungalow wrote:
I don't know enough to add much to this thread. But isn't it a bit unique that this tiki movement, or whatever you want to call it, includes not only collecting artifacts, studying history, creating new art, but also the expectation that others will open and maintain bars/restaurants devoted to the movement.

This stems from the fact that Tiki style is, as far as I can see, the only pop culture that was firmly based on restaurant decor. It was the restaurants who introduced Tiki images to the people on a larger scale. It was the restaurants who had the money to go all out in the style, and thus inspired people to build their own backyard or downstairs Polynesias, and it was the restaurants that made developers utilize concepts like waterfalls, Tiki torches, and Tiki support posts for apartment buildings and motels. Only when that happened did Tiki become a pop genre BEYOND restaurants - but it is they who were the inventors of the style's language.

On 2011-04-25 07:14, christiki295 wrote:
Alternatively, Polynesian cuisine could be considered its own genre like Chinese or Indian, yet these are linked to an ethnic group, whereas Tiki does not necessarily equate to Pacific Islander. If anything, the waitresses wear Chinese-inspired gowns, and the menu has such Chinese mainstays as Kung Pao Chicken.

And here-in lies the crux and the contradiction for 21st Century Tiki restaurants: We want them to have the old classic Tiki temple decor, but we don't want to eat that ol' Chinese MSG glob there anymore. They have to come up with a Pacific rim modern version of that cuisine that makes them special, because nowadays there is ten-fold competition from all the other exotic cuisines available to the customer, while back in the mid-century, Chinese food was the most exotic food you could find.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2011-04-25 09:07 ]

Post #586425 by bigbrotiki on Mon, Apr 25, 2011 9:05 AM