idea/question regarding a tiki totem

has anyone done a tiki totem that includes a: Marq/png/cook/moai/Maori/Ku all one on top of another (totem style)? just curious, as Ive been working on ideas for a tattoo which would sleeve my forearm. i originally was thinking of getting them all side by side, but now thinking it may look better as a totem. (i posted this in the creating forum, but am looking for more responses/ points of view)

I don't recall ever seeing that, and I think it would be a splendid idea, because that "United Colors of Beneton" concept lies at the basis of mid-century AMERICAN Tiki style. I emphasize American, because Polynesian natives of the varying culture groups always have had different views of their own autonomy, which did not necessarily go along the "All one happy family" lines the Western world idealized them as.

But when in the 1950s Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki focused America's attention on the Polynesian triangle and its peoples' migration patterns that produced similarities in the language, mythology and art of the different islands, it, together with the positivist United Nations/Family of Man hopes of the period, opened the flood gates for the mixing of the styles in the mainland representations of Polynesia (even including Melanesia and Asia). (...boy, what a German-style sentence!)

Counter clockwise: Hawaiian/Maori/Melanesian carvings

It all goes hand in hand with the Trader/Ports of Call concept, where the different rooms had different names like the Tahitian room, the Cannibal room, etc. For example Trader Vic's menus and this scarf showcased various island art styles, including Asian exotica...which was in line with the exotic dishes they offered.

Hawaiian/Maori/Indian/Asian art

The Mormons (NOT the Hawaiians) epitomized the idea with their "Polynesian Cultural Center" on Oahu.

I love Hewey's Tiki bowl concept in the Carving thread, too.
Can anyone else think of other vintage Poly pop examples to post here?

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-02-24 11:36 ]

yeah i started thinking about it after wearing my polynesian totem pole shirt by adrift.(which includes png/solomen islands/and a tang) again, not 6 different ones, but at least multiple styles in one. i really think the order of the totem could be crucial as to weather it looked good or not. also have a great flounder print with multipe styles involved (although not in totem form the print is "sunrise tiki")