Kamuualii - The Amazing Pre-Tiki Tiki of The Royal Hawaiian Hotel

Aloha, solid work Hang 10. So sad. :(

Nice screen grabs Hang 10. I grabbed a few more images of the Tiki in action with the hotel guests and entertainers.

The last one has a Hawaii and South Seas Curio sign behind the Tiki.

DC

:)

Good pics Dusty

Saw another one on eBay today

Worst sound ever, slurp of an empty tiki mug through my straw!!!

[ Edited by: hang10tiki 2016-05-09 21:30 ]

I asked Wendy to make me a mug with this guy on it

So soon I'll have a little version of him in my bar

(I'll add update pics as she posts them)

Thanks Wendy :)

I am so happy to be a part of this thread hang10tiki. All this information is so cool. I want to see that movie.
We will have to track it down. You are a master information seeker.

Cheers, Wendy

Hi Wendy
Can't wait to have the mug

Funny

Just saw this on eBay

Dang
A few more

Tanks for sharing dem pix Jon. Of course I particularly like the last one (Jarhead)

:)

Wendy
Thank you so much
The mug came out better than I wished
You are awesome

He's back..........

Such a great thread and the mug came out incredible. Congrats.

On 2013-05-01 17:33, Sabu The Coconut Boy wrote:
DC - that's a great photo!

Here's another one:

This is the Bushnell family. The photo is dated Jan 19, 1968.

This is fascinating and full of great detective work! I wish I had known about this a couple years ago when I was last on Oahu.
But wait a minute, did why does it look like the statue was in a different location for the pic above? There's clearly no building behind it from this angle in other photos.

It baffles me (1) why the hotel wanted the statue removed, but not bother to remove the base ( don't get me wrong, I'm glad something remains for us to seek out there and remember it). The statue had a very long history at the hotel and was a popular photographic centerpiece with guests, and it doesn't appear they did anything with the space in the redesign that couldn't have incorporated the statue. Why not play up its historic spot at the hotel?
Ignorance is ghastly.

That's a great mug. How can I get one?

Wendy Cevola :)

Now that I read the whole thread, I agree with Phillip that this ki'i (Hawaiian word for tiki, which simply means an image like a painting, statue, or photograph) is an image of a menehune or a Hawaiian version of a leprechaun.  The hat, the mischievous grind and hand positioning and the revelation that it originally wore a loin cloth all points to a menehune image.  I posit that the shark God name was something the Hotel (unofficially) made up for the tourist.  They obviously didn't know what the statue was and they didn't think it as a real Hawaiian God ki'i or they would of respected it and saved it. I agree with their assessment because it doesn't have a Hawaiian god like likeness. Thus the Hotel management considered it an "eyesore".  Nevertheless it was historical and meaningful and should of been saved. I'll double check this week with my friend at the Bishop museum on my theory.

[ Edited by: creativenative 2017-09-22 04:18 ]

I get the feeling that the Royal Hawaiian should get in touch with Wendy about selling those mugs at the hotel as souvenirs! What a great mug!

Any chance somebody dumpster dived and walked away with a very heavy footless tiki? Sad to see anything with such history be destroyed. Cool thread, though. Thanks for sharing.

Quick trip
Had to pull away the vines again
:)

Mahalo for sharing Jon. Glad that you’re having a great time-I can tell by your smiles.

You are correct sir
Can’t wait to go back

July 2019 update

Wow
He was completely covered up

Jumped in when the coast was clear

Much better now
:)

Nice work, hang10. This thread/tiki (or, what remains) has fascinated me since I first read about it here.

Cheers Finky

Oct 2019
Covered up again
Jumped in when the coast was clear
Problem solved

It occurs to me that there might be enough photos of this to create a 3d model using photogrammetry software.

May 2022 Was all covered up again. I tested him for Covid, he was negative! Lol

So I cleared away the green stuff again!

[ Edited by hang10tiki on 2022-05-13 05:24:42 ]

Here are a couple photos from the 40s I just picked up

Hang10Tiki, I think you have become the official Keeper of the Feet. :-)

TikiSox- nice pics

LG- as requested

June 2022:

Wasn’t bad this time! I love the funny looks I get as I’m climbing out of the bushes.

This image is on the 1st page, I didn’t know it was a postcard, until I found one…

Made him (ash wood)

With Wendy’s mug

Very nice. Went looking for the feet last October when we were there. I expect I was looking in wrong area. At least I wasn't thrown out for rummaging in the garden. Excellent job.

Awesome Hang10, he looks great!

In my best Frankenstein....ASH GOOD.

Rum on-
walk out of the quilt store, it’s in the bushes

Mad dog n will. Thumbs up

thanks.. I'll find it next time.. before the Mai Tai Bar ...

Lol

Say hello to Susan for us (Our favorite bartender at the Mai Tai bar) She has been there forever!!!

June 2023

All covered up again

Much better

Nice field report!