Post #805076 by MrBaliHai on Sun, Aug 14, 2022 2:38 PM

Ergo, Tiki has had and continues to have problems being truly inclusive of diversity.

I'd highly recommend reading Beachbum Berry's "Sippin' Safari" and "Potions of the Caribbean" to get a clearer picture of how much Tiki culture owes to Philipinos like Ray Buhen and Dick Santiago, as well as Cuban and Caribbean restaurateurs and bar owners. Also, I've been to any number of Tiki bars that have gay and POC clientele. Nobody is turning them away. Tiki is immensely popular in other countries with non-white populations as well. In fact, my first exposure to it was being taken out to dinner by my parents when I was 9 for dinner at the Trader Vic's in Kuwait City, and that was all the way back in 1968.

Are there narrow-minded people into Tiki? I'm sure there are some, but I can honestly say that I've yet to meet any. Everyone I've hung out with has been very open and accepting. There is certainly imagery that some people will see as problematic, going back all the way to the 19th century, but very little of it that I've seen is actually disparaging of Polynesia, the vast majority of it portrays the islands as a lost Paradise before the Fall.

[ Edited by MrBaliHai on 2022-08-14 14:39:19 ]