His name is Tava

At least that's what the rangers and the other workers call him.
He's a Tahitian whose name is too long for them to learn proficiently so they call him Tava.

It's important because he is the guy who is carving the new 20-25 foot Tikis for the Puuhonua O Honaunau park near Kealakakua.

Using simple tools and lots of time and patience he is doing what most of you would love to spend your life doing at one of the most beautiful places on earth.

You carvers are sick - sick people. We musicians are so normal and mild.
What gives?

I believe National Geographic has done some shooting of Tava.
Perhaps one of you may know about that.

I'm going downstairs to have some Mai Tais at the Copper Bar at the Mauna Kea and will post some photos later. Perhaps tomorrow. I took some good shots of Tava's work - but he was doing something else.

I just wanted to post this to whet your appetite... and - I didn't want to forget his name.

Stay tuned.

EDIT: I just realized it could be spelled "Tawa."
Hmmm, more research is needed.

[ Edited by: pablus 2005-11-09 22:05 ]

You carvers are sick - sick people. We musicians are so normal and mild.
What gives?

Ah yes... but when the dust and wood chips settle...
There's nothing like a big tiki to sit down next to with a drink (or a uke like you did in the gardens at the Mai Kai :wink:) and soak up the mana!

On 2005-11-09 21:55, pablus wrote:
You carvers are sick - sick people. We musicians are so normal and mild.
What gives?

Yeah, but we do get the chicks... :wink:

Yeah, this is the place

Here is where Tava is "working."
I included the workbench for you sickos.
Also tried to get some scope. They are very tall.

I'll post some of the tikis that are weathered and in place on another thread.
I wanna be a Hawai'ian.

WOW!!! Those pics are like porn for us sicko's.

Thanks for sharing, cant wait to see more.

Pablus, thank you Very much.. If being a Sicko means enjoying these pic's and wanting to carve like Tawa, then I'm Proud to be a socko.
Now DON'T Dally around posting these pic's or you may be on the Wrong side of ALL us Sickos. You wouldn't want that now would you??
Awesome post.