Post #609854 by Kaiwaza on Tue, Oct 11, 2011 4:09 PM

This could go on forever...and probably will.
I have my own ideas about what music is "tiki" & what isn't.
However, I feel the real problem here is WHO is defining what "tiki" is. We're not talking about impressionism or samba music or aboriginal Papua New Guinea carvings. We're talking about something that doesn't really HAVE an established definition except by a few people, albiet very knowledgable, who have created a definition.
I mean, it's very unclear sometimes to even have a discussion about what is "Hawaiian" let alone what is "tiki."

I don't particularly like to say this, but we're not talking "high art" or "high culture" here...we're talking about a pop culture phenomenon and, eventually, popular use determines definition. So, as much as we might have a specific knowledgable viewpoint, if the general public says Jimmy Buffett is tiki, then, in fact, Jimmy Buffet is tiki. I think the mid-century reference is very important to a lot of us, but I think to the general public "tiki" is also 2011, and doesn't carry that time period reference.