Disney's Polynesian Resort, Orlando, FL (hotel) - Locating Tiki

HH Hurricane Hayward Grand Member (1 year) 16 miles from The Mai-Kai Joined: Jun 07, 2008 Posts: 1867	HH Hurricane Hayward Posted posted on Sun, Mar 29, 2015 12:59 AM Interesting back story on the Poly Tiki, aka Tiki Shrug. Perhaps we should be calling him Maui. This is courtesy of Steve "Tikiman" Seifert (http://www.tikimanpages.com) From a 1972 Disney document: “The folklore of Polynesia contains no more colorful adventures than those of Maui. His exploits are told and retold across the island world, from Hawaii to Bora Bora to New Zealand. Maui, born of the gods, lived among the people of the South Seas. His pranks and tricks provided the islanders with a constant source of new tales. How Maui, with his magic fish hook, pulled the islands of Polynesia from the depths of the sea. How he discovered the secret of making fire, and taught it to his people, and happiest tale of all, how Maui achieved his greatest feat, capturing the Sun! Legends say Maui snared the Sun with a specially woven net, refusing to release it until he secured a promise that the Sun would pursue his course across the sky more slowly. This of course meant more daylight for all. For all who live in Polynesia. So now you know why people of every Polynesian Village remember “The mischievous one” the playful god of the people….Maui” According to Seifert: In Hawaii, a Maui Tiki typically holds the sun over his head, so that may explain the sun around the head of the Poly Tiki. It also explains something that was not described in the Disney story. The signs around the resort have four Tikis around them. The legend of Maui was that Maui was actually four brothers who each had the name of Maui. The youngest of the four brothers was the prankster. The youngest was also the one who discovered fire and pulled up the islands and harnessed the sun. Maui was a demi-god of all of Polynesia and not just a Hawaiian legend. The story of Maui can be different across the islands of Polynesia because of the distance between them all. Not only was Maui a legend but a real human and an ancestor of the first King of Hawaii, Kamehameha. There are many interesting stories of Maui and his supernatural powers as well as the real person that this was based on. For us it puts a name to the face that will greet us as we walk into the Great Ceremonial House.

Interesting back story on the Poly Tiki, aka Tiki Shrug. Perhaps we should be calling him Maui. This is courtesy of Steve "Tikiman" Seifert (http://www.tikimanpages.com)

From a 1972 Disney document:

“The folklore of Polynesia contains no more colorful adventures than those of Maui. His exploits are told and retold across the island world, from Hawaii to Bora Bora to New Zealand.

Maui, born of the gods, lived among the people of the South Seas. His pranks and tricks provided the islanders with a constant source of new tales.
How Maui, with his magic fish hook, pulled the islands of Polynesia from the depths of the sea.

How he discovered the secret of making fire, and taught it to his people, and happiest tale of all, how Maui achieved his greatest feat, capturing the Sun! Legends say Maui snared the Sun with a specially woven net, refusing to release it until he secured a promise that the Sun would pursue his course across the sky more slowly. This of course meant more daylight for all. For all who live in Polynesia.

So now you know why people of every Polynesian Village remember “The mischievous one” the playful god of the people….Maui”

According to Seifert: In Hawaii, a Maui Tiki typically holds the sun over his head, so that may explain the sun around the head of the Poly Tiki. It also explains something that was not described in the Disney story. The signs around the resort have four Tikis around them. The legend of Maui was that Maui was actually four brothers who each had the name of Maui. The youngest of the four brothers was the prankster. The youngest was also the one who discovered fire and pulled up the islands and harnessed the sun. Maui was a demi-god of all of Polynesia and not just a Hawaiian legend. The story of Maui can be different across the islands of Polynesia because of the distance between them all. Not only was Maui a legend but a real human and an ancestor of the first King of Hawaii, Kamehameha.

There are many interesting stories of Maui and his supernatural powers as well as the real person that this was based on. For us it puts a name to the face that will greet us as we walk into the Great Ceremonial House.

Post #740318 by Hurricane Hayward on Sun, Mar 29, 2015 12:59 AM