Tiki styles/ names/ references ???

So I'm pretty new to the tiki thing although I've been lurking around here for a year or so now.

But I've never come across a post that describes this stuff, and the google searches I've done didn't turn up much. I didn't even really know what to search the forums for...

My recent carving was basically a design heavily inspired by Buzzy. I was flipping through his 200 page thread last week and came across a pic of a huge lineup of 20+ tiki's. The design I used was in the middle, a shorter yellow guy. When I saw it I had to do that style, but I don't know what it's called.

There are a few other styles I really like that I want to try, but it sucks not really knowing what I'm carving or what to call them. The others I like are cannibals and the ones with 'braids' running down their backs.

So is there a thread, maybe a book or somewhere I can get info on what types the Tiki's are, their significance, etc...
I'd like to start off with more formal tiki designs and not borrow designs from everyones carvings. Then when I start understanding them more I can work into my own style a bit more, I just want to establish a solid foundation to work from.

Start here,

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=26061&forum=7&41

Pick up a few books and go for it.

Hey Badd Tiki, i added some pix of the books a have to the post about books. (link below)

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=26061&forum=7&start=last&42

I was at the same cross roads about a year ago and also wanting to know what and why i was carving certain styles and what they meant. i love history and started researching and buying a lot of books. Mostly for art reference but i also wanted to know specific styles relating to the 3 major areas of the south pacific (Melanesia, Micronesia and polynesia)as well as specific styles to island people. "pacific encounters, Island ancestors, oceanic art, as well as the bible-The Book Of Tiki. buy that book first. i have found you can't have enough because even the books that didn't have a lot still bring something to the entire history and you will find lost works in older books that might be in private collections. i found a lot of these before i discovered tiki central so it might be a lot easier for you. hope this helps and good luck. oh...buy used books on amazon, so far, has been the cheapest for me and the books are always in better condition that they have been described.

[ Edited by: Creative Chimp 2009-04-14 16:46 ]