Architectural and other similarities between traditional South Seas dwellings, Poly Pop edifices...

...and traditional Northern German Farm houses:

What does the Tiki archaeologist do when he finds himself in a non-Tiki environment? He conjures up its spirit, and creates a fake context!--All in keeping with the fakery of Tiki culture and science. This might be too far-fetched for some, who should feel free to move on, but hopefully others will be amused by my musings.

So when I found myself on my family's holiday farm over the past weekend, I decided to take a fresh look at the buildings I had known since early childhood, using my New World-found Tiki vision, and here is what I discovered:

(I apologize if not all examples follow the strict South Seas/ Poly Pop/German Farm sequence, but I had to fall back on imagery available on my lap top)
To begin with, here is a variety of thatched A-frame meeting and storage houses from the South Seas:

Below is a traditional thatched A-framed storage shed on our farm:

Here's a closer look at the traditional reed thatched roof on our old barn (which was built in 1789):

NEXT: Carved outrigger beams on A-frame gables:

Either in animal or simple human form:

My dad's house gable:

NEXT: Village-like grouping of A-frame buildings in ancient Hawaii:

A well known mid-century modern Tiki temple:

View from the storage shed onto the main stable building on our farm:

NEXT: Urban archaeologist inside a mid-century A-frame in L.A.:

View 1 of the attic of the large farm house in Germany:

NEXT: Smoked meat. - First: Dried Maori ancestor heads:

Barbecue in front of Poly Pop rec room in L.A.:

Reverse angle from in the attic onto the traditional "meat smoking room" built around the chimney:

NEXT: The use of open fire on the islands:

Flaming Poly Pop Tiki Torches:

Burning some old baskets in the outside fireplace of my dad's house:

NEXT: Village elders - A Maori chief:

Bob and Leroy at Oceanic Arts:

My aunt Imme:

NEXT: Cryptic inscriptions on the beams of the buildings (look at beam above entrance):

My grandparents' house with their names in old German type:

NEXT: Rock walls marking the perimeter of the settlement (temple at Kona):

Wall around our farm built out of "field foundlings":

A different part of the mossy foundling stone wall:

NEXT: Weapons and Tools displays (here from Samoa):

Wall at a booth in the original Islands restaurant at the Hanalei Hotel in San Diego:

Old tools on the farm house wall in Germany:

...and last not least: Primitive art in front of thatched farm house:

...NOT! Only kidding! Of course there is no primitive art on a traditional Northern German farm! This photo of some modern African sculptures was taken at the Krefeld Zoo while scouting locations (...which happens to have been built on the property of an old farm.) :D

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-05-12 21:48 ]

very interesting.
thanks for posting all of that.

did you also get the idea from that Former Masson's/Denny's Restaurant that looked like a Viking Long Hall?

Jeff(bigtikidude)

neat . Thanks for posting the comparisons.
I have also noticed some of these types of structural similarities in my studies when I was in the museology program. But you looked beyond the dwellings . makes ya wonder huh? where did you source thafirst pi of the types of dwellings fromthe pacific.?

I personally enjoyed the "use of open flame" sequence - I wish I had thought to toss the baby on the fire 18 years ago! Nahhh - I only wished that between the years of 13 and, well, that feeling just won't go away!

On 2008-05-12 17:51, Sophista-tiki wrote:
where did you source thafirst pi of the types of dwellings fromthe pacific.?

Dawn, that's a page from my German 1930s/40s cigarette card collector's album about the German colonies at the turn of the century:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=26173&forum=16&vpost=350762

...from which I also posted this map of the colonies here:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=27098&forum=1&vpost=357232

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-05-12 21:57 ]

Very cool Bigbro.....San Clemente visitor center...

Traditional South Seas kava ceremony

Poly Pop version

German version

Drinking vessels:
Traditional South Seas

Poly Pop

German Version

There is "good" bad taste, and there is "bad" bad taste, and the difference of the two is in the eye of the beholder - Sven Kirsten

[ Edited by: hewey 2008-05-13 00:17 ]

Very good! Love that beer stein/ LLT mug comparison! We dabbled in comparing Poly Pop and Bavarian-themed pop here on TC before, but these pictures are a nice addition. It was then that I posted these intricate carvings at the Lowenbrou Keller in L.A's Koreatown:

But Southern Germany does not have that thatched roof tradition. It's a whole 'nother bag, one that would make for a lot of good comparisons because of its rich kitsch cache.

I drove by this place yesterday, I had to take a picture and I'm putting it here.

The roof pattern is more Asian but the Deer and the BBQ are German all the way. :)

My aunts name is Imme, too!

I'll give it a try . .

Catacombs of Paris:

New Guinea longhouse:

Poly Pop it ain't, but still . .

Classic Silver Line Boats

[ Edited by: SilverLine 2008-05-14 12:13 ]

On 2008-05-12 13:30, bigbrotiki wrote:

What does the Tiki archaeologist do when he finds himself in a non-Tiki environment? He conjures up its spirit, and creates a fake context!

My own very humble home town solutions:
The local Presbyterian Church:

. . .and the only A-frame I know about here:

[ Edited by: ManFromT.I.K.I. 2008-07-09 15:22 ]

Another excellent example of urban archeology!
Mahalo.

A little late coming to this party, but here none the less.

I picked up a series of antique Dutch trading cards depicting life in the South Seas. Here we have a repeating A-Frame structure.

A style found in Poly Pop apartments.

And restaurants.

DC

This place reminds me of the Bacchus Room in the Baxter Hotel, downtown Bozeman MT. My mom used to take me there for lunch all the time when I was little. Same bacchanalian faces on the walls above all the booths. Its still there.

[ Edited by: Sophista-tiki 2011-10-18 16:51 ]

hummm...this looks like a good place to slide these two images into.

This mid-century gem in Boulder, Colorado was my family's church for awhile when I was a kid. It was known as the First Christan Church back then. I know it was for sale a few years back...I'm not sure what it is now.

I think that I would remove that tree if I owned the place.

Would you go even further and convert it into a tiki restaurant if you owned it, Babalu? That's a stunning building, btw.

I posted this example on another thread a while back:

[ Edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy 2011-10-18 20:15 ]

On 2011-10-18 20:14, Sabu The Coconut Boy wrote:
Would you go even further and convert it into a tiki restaurant if you owned it, Babalu? That's a stunning building, btw.

I would indeed. It would be a Tiki-Mecca if I owned it.

I would, however, have to have some kind of blue hair special night if I were going to get along in the neighborhood...There's a huge high rise old folks home right behind it. :)

This may diverge from the intended point of this thread, but just for kicks, here's a traditional Japanese gassho zukuri thatched-roof a-frame.

These are mostly in the Gero prefecture, and I visited some, almost 10 years ago. But this pic is better than any that I took, and borrowed from the web (with apologies to the owner). Lots more pics of these kinds of structures if you try "gassho zukuri" on google images, probably including this photo above.

-Randy

[i]On 2008-05-12 13:30, bigbrotiki wrote:

NEXT: Urban archaeologist inside a mid-century A-frame in L.A.:

Where is this one located?

On 2011-10-18 20:03, Babalu wrote:
hummm...this looks like a good place to slide these two images into.

This mid-century gem in Boulder, Colorado was my family's church for awhile when I was a kid. It was known as the First Christan Church back then. I know it was for sale a few years back...I'm not sure what it is now.

I think that I would remove that tree if I owned the place.

Well, I went back to Boulder this Thanksgiving to be with family, and I did a little follow up on this church...hey, it's still for sale! For a meager sum of $4,700,000 you can own it today! :)

I do think that it would make a wonderful Tiki establishment, if done right....If it were mine, I would add some gigantic modern styled tiki around the outside, but not much else. It's the inside of the place that I would go nuts on! Although that front lobby is pretty awesome as is...it could still be altered.

It's got a great view of the mountains!

A nasty iPhone shot through a dirty window to inside....pews are out.

more seen through windows - either side of church facing to the front.

Front Lobby area

Pillar by front door

from behind - facing west

Okay, having said all that...one of you should go buy this treasure and fix it up! :)

PS: If you don't buy it to flip to tiki, you could always just do a nice restaurant - call it "The Last Supper" :lol:

[ Edited by: Babalu 2011-12-02 16:05 ]

On 2011-10-18 13:12, Dustycajun wrote:
I picked up a series of antique Dutch trading cards depicting life in the South Seas. Here we have a repeating A-Frame structure.

A style found in Poly Pop apartments.

And restaurants.

DC

Anybody seen the structure at the Zamboanga International Airport before?

Looks like a tapa design on the roof under the eaves.

DC

Wow, very cool! Judging by the shape of those outrigger beams, that building MUST have been designed by an American architect. Firms like Pete Wimberly's worked all over the Pacific.

I'd file this one in the "alien in the world of plastic and chrome" folder.

Actually, I always felt that the Hojo, just like the IHOP and WeeShnee (my abbreviation for "Wienerschitzel" :) ), A-frames were the farthest removed from both, the primitive hut A-frames of Tiki temples and the space age A-frames of bowling alleys and MCM churches:

Hojo's red brick walls and barn finial orange roofs were aiming for a more "homely" country look, like the Swiss Miss cottages and ski lodges of the mid-century.

This Catholic Tiki Temple is less than ten minutes from my house, in Worcester & I just discovered it, last month!

Here's an old Papua New Guinea A-Frame with a colorful mask mounted in the gable (as shown in a Travelers Insurance ad I have).

Repeated in modern history at the Kowloon.

Or maybe even the Der-Weinerschnitzel?

DC

I think it's time for a Kowloon trip. Thanks, DC.

Methodist church, New Plymouth (apologies for the less-than-tropical weather):

We may not have tiki bars and restaurants in New Zealand, but these mid-century South Pacific-style churches are quite common. I will have to start taking more photos....

Toto, j'ai l'impression que nous ne sommes plus au Kansas !

[ Edited by: Club Nouméa 2012-05-22 19:22 ]

Wait -- I think I figured it out... The very steep roofs are because of all the snow?!! :P

Sepik area Tambaran mens house.

the restaurant evolution

and from my hometown a very early '60's concrete products showroom, turned the towns first Honda motorcycle dealership saved by the town as an outdoor music stage in the park.

Anyone have lots of spray paint?

aloha, tikicoma

Tikicoma, you got it right! A comparison of architectural similarities, old and new.

So, here is a very cool Papuan lodge house.

That was recreated as the Tiki Kai in Lawndale, California.

(Photos courtesy of Tom Slick).

DC

Not to be a stickler - but I am ! :D - I believe the Montreal Kon-Tiki is actually based on these two Pacific building types:

The round thatched roof and roof finial are New Caledonian:

...and the storyboard painted fronts-piece was inspired by Palau Islands men's houses:

Trader Vic's used that concept in several straight A-frame entrances. But PNG meeting houses definitely were among the inspirations for swooping mid-century A-frames. One curious custom in particular has not revealed itself to me yet:

The ball and chain hanging from this PNG house's gable in the Berlin museum look suspiciously like the classic fishnet float lamp customary in American Tiki culture. What was its function for the traditional PNG men's house?

And while I am asking: WHERE did THESE roofs come from:

...they seem more African to me. :)

On 2012-05-23 10:08, bigbrotiki wrote:

The ball and chain hanging from this PNG house's gable in the Berlin museum look suspiciously like the classic fishnet float lamp customary in American Tiki culture. What was its function for the traditional PNG men's house?

is it a weight? think of an old style pup tent that has a line from the top of the end pole to the ground. it may just be a weight to hold and help cantilever the roof?

just a wild guess.

Naaaw, these houses had a little more support than tents:

Though the specific PNG house style we are talking about was not as elongated, and has but ONE main A-frame:

The chain and bundle are made from Sago Palm:

A Californian example:

Good Stuff!

DC

On 2012-05-23 13:20, bigbrotiki wrote:
Naaaw, these houses had a little more support than tents:

was there any consistency in the orientation to how these structures were constructed, i.e. always facing north or something? perhaps a primitive sundial of sorts, or weather vane/wind gauge?

again, wild guesses, but fun nonetheless.

On 2012-05-23 13:20, bigbrotiki wrote:
Naaaw, these houses had a little more support than tents:

Here is a more substantial modern day version from the Papua New Guinea High Commission in Canberra.

DC

On 2012-05-23 10:08, bigbrotiki wrote:

And while I am asking: WHERE did THESE roofs come from:

...they seem more African to me. :)

Maybe it's a former Van De Kamp's Bakery ?? :D...

Ok here is a new one. The Samoan "Fale" House or "Fale Tele" Council House.

Gave inspiration to the firm of Wimberly, Whisenand, Allison and Tong for the Lee Auditorium built in Pago Pago. I have this ad for red shingle roofs that has a nice photo..

And architectural drawings.

A postcard as well.

Known as "The Turtle"

The auditorium suffered from neglect but was refurbished in 2008.

DC

This post deserves a bump...

Here we have the Barrel Inn Bulgaria. A cross between Beer and Tiki, perhaps?

DC

I am going to shake this up, although I have mentioned this before
The Viking Long Houses parallel many of the architectural elements
of South Sea design aesthetics, these are in Trelleborg, Denmark.

The main difference is of course the materials available to these ancient builders
but it is striking the similarities in design.

On 2011-11-02 12:58, christiki295 wrote:

[i]On 2008-05-12 13:30, bigbrotiki wrote:

NEXT: Urban archaeologist inside a mid-century A-frame in L.A.:

Where is this one located?

Reviewing this thread and noticed your question wasn't answered christiki295... the former Mauna Kea Garden Apartments located in Anaheim at 3601 Orange Ave. which is now known as the Orangeview Apartment Homes.