has anyone ever noticed....

..that on pages 42,84, & 88 in the "Book of Tiki" the restraunts use a cartoon images of native polynesians getting drunk and fighting? I know alcohol was the downfall of many of my native american brothers, but you figure the cartoonists would have had better judgement on what images they drew. True it was back when people didn't care for being "P.C.". By today's standards the lucious native girls wouldn't have their breasts exposed and drunk overweight men having thier feet tickled would be considered some form of perversion (which most things in the lone star state is considered).
But my point is, if the cartoonists of the time drew the islanders having a good time it would be one thing, but showing what really happens when you drink sometimes takes the fire out of the preverbial cannon.

I don't know, maybe because i'm an artist i read into things too much.
I'm going to go pour me one.

On 2003-10-22 22:01, Unkle John wrote:
..that on pages 42,84, & 88 in the "Book of Tiki" the restraunts use a cartoon images of native polynesians getting drunk and fighting? I know alcohol was the downfall of many of my native american brothers, but you figure the cartoonists would have had better judgement on what images they drew. True it was back when people didn't care for being "P.C.". By today's standards the lucious native girls wouldn't have their breasts exposed and drunk overweight men having thier feet tickled would be considered some form of perversion (which most things in the lone star state is considered).
But my point is, if the cartoonists of the time drew the islanders having a good time it would be one thing, but showing what really happens when you drink sometimes takes the fire out of the preverbial cannon.

I don't know, maybe because i'm an artist i read into things too much.
I'm going to go pour me one.

Virility and male worth have often been one attatched to a mans ability to kick the other guys ass. Add alcohol, and it was often seen as a prankish thing.

Films of the 40's,50's and 60's seem to feature a fair amount of this activity.

( Sweeping Generality Alert )

Heck any good film about World War Two from those times seems to feature at least one drunken brawl.

(RAMPANT SPECULATION ALERT) (Following View Not My Own Alert)
Natives doing it was probably seen as even more comical.

Whether or not this was the artists intent in the example offered I don't know.

TG

That non-PC and rabid sexism is one of the things that defines that period to me. That's one of the things that I love about the 50's and 60's. I don't practice racism or sexism in my own life, but being a little less PC than todays standards still keeps things interesting. Those Trader Vic glasses with the cartoons on them are some of my favorite.

Spike

[ Edited by: Luckydesigns on 2003-10-23 01:13 ]

I response to post number 1....puhleeeeze.

Half a century ago, being drunk was definitely considered more humorous than it is today. Comedians like W.C. Fields (in the 30's) and Foster Brooks (in the 60's) developed whole personas as drunkards, and even part of Dean Martin's mystique was that he always seemed to have a light buzz, with cocktail in hand. Several daily cartoon strips featured characters that were almost always drunk. It was considered cute back then to have a bar lamp, that featured a drunkard wrapped around a streetlamp, often with his nose represented by a red lightbulb.

Somewhat tied in with this were the 'pink elephants' that one would see after too many drinks. Those cartoon pink elephants were more cute and happy, rather than angry and vicious. Years ago I saw many more cartoons that featured a drunk wearing a lampshade over his head ... I haven't seen any of those recently.

The whole point of the above is to illustrate that being a 'comical drunk' was quite common back then. The Trader Vics cartoons were just the same type of humor, placed within a Polynesian setting. I doubt that they were intended as a slur to the Polynesian people

VErn

hmm, I kinda wonder if my personal point was lost.
I'm not condoning any of the images. I'm not offended. I think they are great and show a style of illustration that is rarely seen these days(thanks to the abstract cartoons of the late 60's-70's). I just thought it was funny they would show people fighting... my favorites are the "big Bahama mamma" knocking her husband on the head, and the drunk leaned up against the palm tree with his back to us. He looks like he's about to "blow chunks".

I do applaud Mr. Kirsten for not censoring any of the images due to political correctness, and for showing us the time period as it was. The text, similarly, makes comment without being judgmental. I consider the book a very honest and detailed historical work. Impressive.

Drifting off the cartoon topic, but I liked the inclusion of the photo of Hef with the not-quite native wanhine.

Re: original vintage graphics, at Trader Vic's Chicago my own (clothed) wahine convinced the waiter to let us take a menu. The graphics are vintage but minus any of the natives except for the cartooney "Vic" who looks ~ like Mr. Magoo in a grass skirt.