RIP Tiki Diablo (aka. Danny Gallardo) - June 14th, 1971 - February 5th, 2026

A lot of us are connected to Daniel "Tiki Diablo" Gallardo outside of this site, but given his massive contributions to the community it's only appropriate that we give tribute here.

I probably haven't known Daniel as long as some of you, but he was a solid dude inside and out. A top professional, an impressive talent, and an incredible human being. I saw him a few months ago at The Warehouse for a Shipwrecked event and we had a nice long chat. I'm trying to recall if I ever heard or read the word 'cancer' from his social media but I don't think so. Either way it was a surprise, and fuck cancer.

Feel free to share any fond memories you have of Diablo, or maybe your favorite mug or work of art of his. Rest in peace.

Whoa, I am shocked and saddened by the loss of one of our best. I met Danny for the first time at a tiki event where he was kind enough to sell me one of his limited rum barrel mugs and sign it. I still have it. Many others who knew and worked with him will have much more to share. But dang, he was truly a nice guy and will be missed. Condolences to his family and friends. May we all memorialize Danny through our memories and stories wherever and whenever we gather together. I will raise a Mai-Tai to this fine gentleman tonight in his honor. Hell, I’ll make that a Zombie! That’s what he would want.

Me and Danny at Coontiki in 2006. Damn almost 20 years ago now. What a natural talent and friendly, cool dude. Such a great legacy he leaves to us but we’d rather have him than all his work. Peace be with you my friend and may your soul rejoice in the Lord above forever. !

So sad to hear of his passing as a classic Tiki artist and a really nice person. Remember rushing out to Home Depot to buy some of the designs he did for the company. Still see them every day in my Tiki room. Thank you Danny!

one of the nicest people ive ever met in the tiki community, this is really sad to hear.

Met him at Hukilau 2015. He needed (never did find out why) some USPS Priority boxes and in a hurry, too.

I had some in my car parked outside and we talked for a good long time.

Besides being supremely talented, he struck me as a kind and warm person. Kept talking about reconnecting, but never quite managed.

See you on the other side.

I remember meeting him at Hukilau 2003. I met most of the "California Tiki Tribe" at that event and he was already a legend at that time. Bought a Chiki Tiki mug and chatted with him for a while. We ran into each other at other events and knew each other in a conversational way, but my desire for him to create a log drum communal bowl was shelved for other stuff. He was super busy all the time because people with talent tend to have serious demands on their time. The last time I talked to him face to face I had my uke and I popped one of my new tunes out for him at the Mai Kai. He listened and really liked it and that was a big deal to me because of all the carvers that I already admired, Danny was unique in his elegance in his carvings and his presentation of the craft and the atmosphere. He really got what I personally like (and obviously many others) with his dialed in nod to the Polynesian aspect as well as the fanciful aspects of what makes for a great experience in a tiki lounge or bar. I haven't visited Morgan's Cove yet, even though it's in Tampa, but I will this week and really take in his design and mastery once again. His work is a force in this quirky world but his love of dark woods and constant artistic references to the past and other great talents will shine through in all of his portfolio of amazing artwork and creations that take people to different places. He was very unique in the world. A rare man. My sincere condolences to his family and friends and fans for a true loss.

When we were working on the Chicago Exotica event in 2005, we wanted to do a signature event mug. I think Amy & I met Danny for the first time in person at the Hukilau the year prior, and we admired his work greatly. So I reached out to him to see if he might be willing and able. We had a fairly tight timeline and he already had a lot on his plate, but his passion for Tiki compelled him agree to work with us on the project and come participate in the event.

I shared my idea (a Tiki wearing a Lucha Libre mask) and we sent a couple sketches back and forth. In no time he’d created a terrific sculpt for the mug. Anyone who’s worked in ceramics knows the patience required, but despite the narrow window of time, Danny put in the sweat and the hours to get enough mugs made. If memory serves, he shipped some in advance of the weekend, and even brought some with him in his luggage to have them available at the event. The weekend was a whirlwind, but we got to hang out at the original Chicago Trader Vic’s, Hala Khaki, the Chef Shangri-La, and under the big striped tent at Fitzgeralds where we had the Tiki Market and so many great bands played. On line and in person Danny was a great guy. A straight shooter, a genuine tikiphile, and a fantastic artist.

Our time together with Danny was too short, and kids, work, and life prevented us from making it out to CA where we could see Danny again. As one does, we always thought there would still be plenty of time. Of course we followed Danny’s work and achievements with great admiration. We always felt that he was a kindred spirt, someone who loved and cherished the soul of vintage Tiki, and who strove to honor the carvers and creators of the past while creating a unique aesthetic of his own. He will be deeply missed. -Duke

[ Edited by boutiki on 2026-02-08 22:12:03 ]