How are you promoting Tiki?

No worries.

pappythesailor,

When I said that people are looking for tiki, I was referring to in their hometown. Those internet savvy enough are turning to the internet to see what they can find (cue Tiki Central theme music). I see a lot of searches for "tiki [insert name of city here]" in my logs.

WHile new to this site, I am a long suffering Tiki addict.

My contribution is that I am building a Tiki bar in the wilds of Ontario next month. My associates and I have the plans in hand for a "field expedient tiki bar" which I will be happy to share. One must however make do with local materials.

Bamboo is rare in the "up north" so scrub cedar will be harvested. Cedar branches will be used for the "tiki top" on the bar. The Wabakimi Shimmy ( a version of my own Mai Tai mix) will be served for our "surf and turf" evening ( steak and ... walleye).

A local pub has contributed the authentic glassware (plastic) in exchange for a little shameless plug they can post on the website ( maybe .... its a good story and bartenders have been known to give away the goods ... it is a good bar...we may make the website).

My outfitter will have a picture for his '07 brouchure much better than "guys holding up fish" and instead ... have guys EATING fish at a luau featuring our Tiki bar.

Now, if I can avoid serious injury in our improvised tiki torches ....

Anyone paddling through the wilderness is more than welcome to stop by for a drink. Anyone in a bikini or coconut bra is doubly welcome. Anyone with a decent bottle of rum might even get fed !

Are you anywhere near Lake Temagami?

I am disappointed to say I am not near the wonderful Temagami. I'm going to be on the Albany River watershed in the Wabakimi provincial park which lies 150 KM due north of Thunder Bay.

I fly in from the west for a good two hours to get there. Lots of various folks drift by on canoe fly-ins ( one can actually do a great loop from the railway drop-off on the south edge of the park).

I am looking to relocate to Michigan in the near future and will be able to make easterly trips with great ease.

One one has the habit of building wilderness Tiki bars .... how can it stop ? It's how I'll mark teritory !

On 2006-06-10 12:12, twitch wrote:
I'd have to agree with some of the above members in saying that you gotta be careful what you wish for!

I remember back in the early punk days wishing the same thing for that scene, then shortly after having the shows loused up by "normal" people starting fights and mocking those of us there in the first place for looking different. (And it just dawned on me that this thread mirrors a great hunk of discourse that went on in punk fanzine letters pages in the 1980's!) They were there because of a greater exposure of a subculture with "outsider" (tho' I'd say elevated) tastes, and soon after you get a homogenized version of the original vibrant scene. Just imagine everyone in town wearing the same mass-produced K-Mart Hawaiian-style button-ups! Yuk!
I say let the lowest common denominator ramble about in their hummers and Hilfeger's and never know the true joy of Tikidom...

You make a very good point Twitch. It's not my wish to see this lifestyle Wal-Mart-ized either, however with natural growth and evolution (even if it stays underground), there's going to be some change as new ideas, interpretations and energy are added to the mix. Changes that could be considered by those who there at the beginning, or the rebirth, as repulsive.

I have to wonder what Trader Vic's, Don the Beachcomber, etc. thought of Tiki Bob's unique art style or The Tikis making tiki available to the masses. I venture to guess that some thoughts of bastardization, maybe a watering down or pollution of the lifestyle and concept came to mind. Yet these are both establishments that are held in high regard within the tiki tomes of history.

Not to mention Walt Disney's contribution which made an amusement park attraction out of tiki.

Just my thoughts.

I just convinced a friend who lives in Alameda to go to Forbidden Island. I'm also trying to convince another friend from the East Bay to patronize FI & the Conga Lounge.

On 2006-06-20 10:37, freddiefreelance wrote:
I just convinced a friend who lives in Alameda to go to Forbidden Island. I'm also trying to convince another friend from the East Bay to patronize FI & the Conga Lounge.

Thankfully Forbidden Island doesn't seem to need much promotion. It's usually packed Wed through Sat, with frequent lines to get in on weekend nights! Sundays and Tuesdays are sometimes slow. Still, I have some friends that still have not been despite my many attempts to get them to join me - I can't be that bad company :D

Dateline Brandon, Florida: Somebody was spotted kvetching. More at 11

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2006-06-30 16:22 ]

We have used a tiki theme in our Relay for Life team camp the last few years. The organizers have caught on and now the whole event has a Surf/beach theme. I am also the leader of a youth group that we call SURF ( Spirit under the Redwood Forest) The Tiki theme has just fallen into place(sans alcohol)

I try to suggest cough insist cough that friends of mine who have yet to experienced Tiki at the least accompany me to Bahooka. When Sam's was still around geography would dictate which of the two won out. The atmosphere alone has intrigued many a friend into returning and, in turn, caused a few of them to turn other on themselves. Since I have pretty much exhausted my reserve of current friends when it comes to hipping them to Tiki, I have now dutifully targeted my girlfriend's friends. It's tough work and it requires a good amount of Honey Bowls to be consumed but I don't mind. It's the least I can do.

On 2006-07-02 22:41, Ghost wrote: Since I have pretty much exhausted my reserve of current friends when it comes to hipping them to Tiki,

don't forget. you can successfully built your downline by getting your friends to recruit their friends and relatives. Remember the residuals the manual tells you can come your way when you build your downline out AND down!

I spend a lot of moolah buying mugs, carvings, and chachas.

On 2006-07-02 22:51, lanikai wrote:

On 2006-07-02 22:41, Ghost wrote: Since I have pretty much exhausted my reserve of current friends when it comes to hipping them to Tiki,

don't forget. you can successfully built your downline by getting your friends to recruit their friends and relatives. Remember the residuals the manual tells you can come your way when you build your downline out AND down!

Hi Larious!

I have been kinda thinkin' about this subject again and I have to say that there are many for whom Tiki is just a kinda cute " Theme ", for a party or something and beyond that they really couldn't give a rat's ass about Tiki and why should they? There are even those who claim to be into Tiki who are attracted the slick and often not so slick veneer and fail to take the time to look into the mechanisms and history behind this phenom.

Promoting Tiki is cool in the sense that out of the crowd that you may turn on to Tiki, one or two people may form a genuine appreciation for it. This is much easier when you have an established Tiki venue in your town for a point of reference. If your town or surrounding area has had no established Tiki venue for a very long time, chances are that there is little or no history to draw from. Like, " I remember how much my parents loved that place, etc ". In this way all this so-called Tiki stuff is funky and new and often interpreted in a superficial kind of way. To promote Tiki, I stress the point. Do your homework. Know your stuff and those who come into contact with Tiki through you and dig it, will have something to work with.

It really helps if you have good taste and a huge record collection.

Bottom line, Tiki is not for everybody and thank the Great Kahuna! If I saw some shit like Jessica Simpson pushin' Tiki as the new cool, I might get permanently sick.

There is a not so fine line between Tiki and tacky.

Drink up and be somebody!

T.F.

[ Edited by: Tiki Fink 2006-07-03 15:00 ]

On 2006-07-03 11:08, Tiki Fink wrote:

Bottom line, Tiki is not for everybody and thank the Great Kahuna! If I saw some shit like Jessica Simpson pushin' Tiki as the new cool, I might get permanently sick.

Couldn't agree more. I have found that some folks are genuinely interested in the history while some folks simply find it "neat" or "cute". As much as the latter used to piss me off, I have made a certain amount of peace with it as to a certain extent it benefits the establishments by putting butts in the chairs. Within reason, of course.

Recently, I re-visited a local non-tiki bar that was a favorite of mine a few years ago. Dark, quiet, strong drinks and a decor that had remained unchanged since the mid-fifties. On most nights, including weekends, you'd be hard pressed to see more than 8 people in there at a time. When I went back recently I couldn't believe what had happened. The decor remained unchanged but it was now packed wall to wall with local college kids. It looked like a TGI Fridays exploded inside the bar. While I was selfishly glad that the bar was making money and, therefore, ensuring that it would be around for at least a little while longer, I couldn't help but feel a certain sadness as well. The new found popularity of this bar is most likely the beginning of the end for this place as I know it and as the owners cater to their new clientele (as evidenced by the "updated" jukebox) the charm, history, and atmosphere will torn out in favor of "Jager-shot Tuesdays" and "Spring Break Drink Specials".

Sorry if I am going on a rant here but the topic just made me think about how the growing popularity of Tiki can be a double edged sword at times.

I will be promoting tiki by bring all of my friends to the TC Party at Tonga Hut in N. Hollywood this Saturday from 9-2 where I just happen to be deejaying. You can read more about it in the events section. We all hope to see many of you there!

Aloha everyone!

I've been attempting to introduce my local circle of friends to tiki for some time. With no tiki establishment in my town, parties have been one of the few ways to accomplish this. A tropical drink here, a little tiki art there and a piece of tiki history, somewhere in between. So, three months ago, two of my friends ask me to throw a tiki party for them. I've been providing the time and $ for drink ingredients for some time, but now their interest has peaked enough that they now want to financially support my tiki enthusiasm with money and help to make my vision of a tiki gathering a reality. Well not a permanent reality (sadly) and not entirely my vision (their own visions were also respected and represented to some degree) in the material sense, but a reality for at least a day and a night and a far greater reality than my previous resources would allow.

As the months pass, a great project unfolds. Research, planning and work, $ is spent and endless hours pass as this project passes from imagination to reality. Finally, this past Saturday, that vision became a reality. Roughly 50-60 people (friends and family to one or all of us) walked into the tiki world we created. Was it a perfect? No, but it was pretty damn good and leagues closer than most of these people had ever experienced.-My personal thanks for the patience and friendliness of the 4 other TC'ers who attended. Did some people balk at the tiki masks, the exotic music and the tropical drinks? A couple. Did some have a little trouble in opening their minds enough so they could enjoy this glimpse into another world? A few.

However, when the dust settled, there was this: One guest became so intrigued from the invitation alone that he combed through numerous antique stores in the effort to procure his own prized tiki mug (a Trader Vics Suffering Bastard, by the way). One couple spent most of the daylight hours engorged in either The Book of Tiki or one of the various issues of Tiki Magazine that were made available (Thanks again Tiki Magazine!). One guest quizzed me throughout the night on how he could build his own tiki bar and one guest has been hounding me for information on exotica music since the party. Those are just the enthusiasts. Overall, there were numerous compliments, questions, opinions, etc. Did these people experience true tiki? Well I guess that depends on your own personal interpretation. The tiki greats certainly had their own unique perspectives and why should it be any different today? Personally, I like to think so and if not, they certainly glimpsed it. Enough so that some were spurred to begin upon their own paths towards discovering tiki.

Oh, and did I mention that my friends want to have another tiki party before the summer ends? I think they've caught the bug and it's beginning to spread.

Did I promote tiki with the party? Yesiree.

Did this promotion bear a positive result? Magic 8 Ball says: Answer unclear, but outlook hopeful. Like in the glory days of tiki, every new person introduced is a crapshoot. The next enthusiast could be the next Trader Vic or Walt Disney or could end up creating McTiki Burgers-"A totem of meat that can't be beat!" (sorry, I've written ad copy and just couldn't resist)

I know I had a hell of a time and I'm still continuing down my own path, so I'd call things a success.

Mahalo!

Cool post! Certainly, as it is with a lot of other things, a lot of the fun of THIS thing...comes from sharing with folks.

I am promoting tiki by sharing my love of Tiki Drinks with everyone who will listen.

Come over and see for yourself.

On 2006-07-03 07:17, MTKahuna wrote:
I spend a lot of moolah buying mugs, carvings, and chachas.

In addition, I add the phrase tiki to my email address.
I also have been known to wear clothing with Tikis on it, sort of like the animated characters from Disney or Warner Bros.

I converted a Jehovah's Witness to Tiki.

True story, she was one of my coworkers. After seeing the tiki mugs and stuff I keep around the store, and hearing me play exotica music she decided to throw her husband a tiki themed anniversary party. I gave her copies of Martin Denny's Exotica and the Tikiyaki Orchestra's StereoExotique, as well as drink recipes for Mai Tais and Navy Grogs. I'm thinking about going out on Saturday mornings to spread Tiki around my neighborhood. "Excuse me ma'am, have you read the book of Tiki?" :D

How do I promote tiki??

I be myself.

Kinda like Bob and LeRoy.

And I hope it will pay off in the future for everyone now and beyond!!!

Check out my "new website" for my portfolio!!! http://www.bambooben.com

p.s. how did i miss this thread??!!! classic stuff!!!!!

With a full penis tiki tattoo!

On 2008-06-04 20:24, Jason Wickedly wrote:
I converted a Jehovah's Witness to Tiki.

True story, she was one of my coworkers. After seeing the tiki mugs and stuff I keep around the store, and hearing me play exotica music she decided to throw her husband a tiki themed anniversary party. I gave her copies of Martin Denny's Exotica and the Tikiyaki Orchestra's StereoExotique, as well as drink recipes for Mai Tais and Navy Grogs. I'm thinking about going out on Saturday mornings to spread Tiki around my neighborhood. "Excuse me ma'am, have you read the book of Tiki?" :D

That is spreading the Tiki love.
You should. After all, the BOT is the "good book."

On 2008-06-04 22:29, msteeln wrote:
With a full penis tiki tattoo!

er, you win.. Congrats! :lol:

I was Commodore of our Bayview Boat Club, last year. The last event of the season is the Commodore's Ball, in February. It's a formal/semi- dress event, and gives the outgoing commodore/officers a chance to throw a big party to celebrate the past year. I chose a tiki theme (of course). It was held at the Shriner's hall, in Garland. There's a display case with a fez from every Shrine in N. America, so that even subtly played into that tiki/fez association (even if I was the only one who "got it").
The DJ was great, and came prepared with lots of Hawaiian and Exotica, which played as background during cocktail hour and dinner. I gave the caterer the recipe for "Sabu's Spicy Coconut Chicken Skewers", which were served, along with prime rib. I hired a couple of dancers, who put on a much-better-than-I-expected hula show, after dinner.
We buy and bring all the liquor, and the bartenders are paid by the hour (and tips). I spent $1000 at the liquor store, and you can bet there was some rum(s)! I gave the bartenders recipes for a selection of tiki cocktails, and, well,... they tried. Guests got a souvenir mug (from Dynasty).
Don't know if I made any devout converts, but everyone had a good time, and several club "oldtimers" told me privately that it was the best Ball they've been to. Anyways, here's some links to what happened:
Commodore's Ball description
More pictures of the event

[ Edited by: Limbo Lizard 2008-06-05 16:59 ]

THIS is how you promote Tiki !

JasonWickedly, I like your way too. Tikiyaki at a Jehovah's Witness Party...Awesome !

[ Edited by: tikiyaki 2008-06-05 17:04 ]

I've often thought about doing a small presentation at the local history museum on the subject of mid-century Polynesian Pop culture in America.

Has anyone else done anything similar? Either with friends or publicly?

On 2008-06-13 07:31, tikijoeusaf wrote:
I've often thought about doing a small presentation at the local history museum on the subject of mid-century Polynesian Pop culture in America.

Has anyone else done anything similar? Either with friends or publicly?

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=21353&forum=1&hilite=Museum exhibit

Again, my friend, the search feature can introduce you to all kinds of informative posts reflecting similar thoughts, ideas and the like. Search and you will seek what you are looking for!

PTD

[ Edited by: Psycho Tiki D 2008-06-13 11:15 ]

logo?

[ Edited by: sneakyjack 2008-06-14 06:45 ]

As someone who is trying to keep a Tiki torch burning in the Washington, DC area (see Tiki Thirstday in Other Events), I'm giving this thread a bump. For two years (2006-2008) this was a fairly active thread, it is a good topic and worth a revisit.

I'm curious as to what others are doing, or have recently done.
Tiki Thirstday, in my case, is a weekly Tiki social night out that we have at a restaurant in the DC area. It started with a few regulars who often socialize together over Tiki drinks and rum, sometimes at restaurants, sometimes at our homes. Like so many here, we grumble about Trader Vic's' that have closed, and why aren't there more Tiki bars. Four months ago we decided to do something local and see if we could gather the local people we knew were still active (those who go to the big national events), the locals who used to be active, and people with no idea about Tiki, MCM or Poly Pop.

We started with a dozen people to organize, and we decided to give it a roll. All of us would try to go as often as possible so that when we did start posting on Tiki sites and Facebook, people coming to check it out would always find a least a some Tikiphiles there to socialize with. Our kickoff on March 20th was great, we had 36 people make it. As you can image the numbers ebb and flow each week. On the low side it is in the mid-teens, on the high side well over 30. Last night we had our 15th Tiki Thirstday and we had our largest turnout yet, 39 "merry souls." Our overall average for the last 15 weeks is now 26. And since May 29th we've had over 150 (total attendance not unique visitors).

None of this is meant to be bragging. Why I'm posting is to share that it is worth giving a try. It may not be "build it and they will come," but it could be "if you and your friends keep showing up, others will too." Don't underestimate the interest that a dozen or so people in Tiki shirts will generate. Almost every week at Tiki Thirstday I get asked by people over in the adjoining dining room "what is Tiki?" And the best thing is, a surprising number of those who ask end up joining us the next week or the week after.

On 2006-05-16 01:14, lanikai wrote:
I go door to door throughout neighborhoods with little flyers inquiring if the occupants have heard the true word lately.

Oh great, I never thought of that! Im going out now!!!!

Lol...

not much.

It's easy to tell all your friends, and show photos, of the fun you have had at various tiki gatherings. Many of my friends know lots about tiki now, and about 6 have joined me at various Hukilaus. I don't hammer the core tiki culture and urban archaeology into their heads. Instead I tell them about the GREAT music, food, drinks, and people. Then I show them photos, take them to my home bar, etc. and the light eventually goes on.

It's not hard when there is fine cocktails involved
But I am always recruiting Vintage & Poly-pop minded
folks for my Tiki Army, which is needed to kick out all those annoying Hipsters
from our cool bars.....It is true, Hipsters have found out about Tiki!

I love it when old threads like this get resurrected...lot's to read through. I am not a "promoter" except for looping my bff in several years ago. Everyone I know is aware I have a Tiki passion, and if they ask about it I do try to help them understand it as a genre with a strong history in the arts. In general it is now an international community of artisans that paint, sew, blend, author, carve, play music, make mugs, build, etc. to keep Tiki and Poly-Pop alive.

We all know it is really about the cocktails though!!!

On 2014-06-27 22:21, VampiressRN wrote:
I love it when old threads like this get resurrected...lot's to read through. I am not a "promoter" except for looping my bff in several years ago. Everyone I know is aware I have a Tiki passion, and if they ask about it I do try to help them understand it as a genre with a strong history in the arts. In general it is now an international community of artisans that paint, sew, blend, author, carve, play music, make mugs, build, etc. to keep Tiki and Poly-Pop alive.

We all know it is really about the cocktails though!!!

Which I think is great (hic). Someone's passion may be carving, but they love the drinks. Another's might be Exotica, but they love the drinks (hic), and so it goes in every facet of Tiki. Cocktails seem to be the hub for all the spokes of the Tiki wheel.

Not that there aren't a few, and there is nothing wrong with choosing to abstain, but generally speaking there aren't too many teatotalers in the Tiki world.

[ Edited by: Dr. Coruba 2014-07-02 10:00 ]

I do what I can on instagram and on twitter. I'm fairly new to the community, but it's nice to showcase a culture that's interesting and has a good history behind it.

Only here can we see "carving" and "blending" intertwined!

"TOTAL" Tiki Scene:

In what Christi White described the Tiki culture breakdown as 60%(Drinks) & 40%(Whole Scene) I'm in the last category. My attraction is the period history, music, décor, drinks & fashion combination that creates the "TOTAL" escapism environment for me.

Wearing Aloha Shirts on an almost daily basis is like my way of bearing witness for the Tiki culture. You would be surprised those shirts get conversations started that can lead to talking about the Tiki culture!

Http://thetikipedia.com

[ Edited by: TikiTacky 2014-06-28 11:21 ]

I think trying to quantify "what is tiki" with math and percentages is kinda futile as I think it's something different to everyone..

to me, the drink thing is a small part of it, because I just drink rum on ice so that part is simple. to me it's more about art & history... but that doesn't negate anyone else's trip... that's just what's important to me.

and to seriously answer the question at hand... I make a LOT of tikis.. numerically speaking, I probably make more than anyone else in the state... I have, and am in the process of, bringing tikis back to some of the historical places here in the sunshine state... sometimes for free...

here are the ones I did for the Tahitian Inn in Tampa, a local polynesian themed motel that has been in since 52'...

I am somewhat stalled, but trying to bring a few tikis to the beach access which used to be the historic TIKI GARDENS in Indian Rocks Beach... also have discussed things with the old outrigger,,, so that "pot is still on the stove"..

And I regularly donate tikis to local charities in the company's name (surf soul tiki)... and do live carves at their events for free.

I have given many tikis away to people who were really stoked on 'em and couldn't afford 'em, just to show some aloha...

I am also a figure at a local childrens charity called "faces of courage", which is a charity that benefits poor kids with cancer & blood disorders and their families... I'm "the guy with the truck and tools who gets stuff done" that the director & the other women who run the organization call when they need help... I am also the "heavy" who keeps the older boys in line... I put the company name before mine in all of this just so people have a positive association with our genre...

I also offer my assistance to anyone trying to throw a "tiki" event, free of charge, just to help them make it a little more "tiki"... and less spam crap...

I am also in the process of working out the details of doing a large Hawaiian Ku as a pearl harbor memorial which I will donate and put in the ground at one of the local veterans parks... I have to do it this year though, so my 90 yr old pearl-harbor-survivor grandfather can be the there to see it.

I also offer my assistance to ANYONE who has carving aspirations... I help anyone who asks... I have coached many through their first tiki... I share the stoke.

so that's my list. 8)

That is a great list Jeff...you are truly sharing your gift of carving in so many positive ways. That top carve is unbelievable. People that share their talents through training others, such as you, Ben, Wendy, BBB & Martin, historians like Sven, and so many others really epitomize the heart of Tiki. How you share your knowledge and skills with others as an expert and mentor is what keeps the arts alive and exciting for others.

pjc5150,

Do you have a website with you work? I especially enjoy the Tahitian Inn piece you have shown on this thread, btw what wood is it made from?

Jeff, it takes just ONE Tiki agent of your caliber and commitment to make a difference in one's community and spread the gospel. Mahalo!

One of my favorite reactions to my Paris museum show is found in the guest book, showing how the exhibit is inspiring a new generation of Tiki artists :)

Tiki Tacky, I still have a little problem with your name perpetuating the stock media description of Tiki that I have been working so hard to erase - even if I will never succeed! :)
Please note: The BOT was published in 2000, not 2003, that's an Amazon mistake made from its 3rd printing.
This said, I commend your efforts with Tikipedia and on other fronts, and will support any such endeavor meant to promote the understanding of Tiki culture!

Vamp, I am a little weary of being called just a Tiki HISTORIAN, it sound very dry and stodgy. I have designed mugs, curated contemporary exhibitions, and advised on current Tiki bars, and more. Tiki authority sounds better.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2014-07-08 11:23 ]

surfsoultiki.com

one of my better tikis was just made a permanent piece at the mai kai a few weeks ago during hukilau...

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=47777&forum=1&19

and thank you Sven...