Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom. Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom.
Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom. Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom.....

Listen Tikiphiles, what that's sound? It's tribal drums beating out from the deepest darkest part of the jungle. They're calling out to your inner Modern Primitive soul. You're Tarzan of the Apes, swinging on a vine to your cozy treehouse "bachelor pad". There your leopard-skinned betty waits to make hot jungle love and Cheetah is mixing up an Uga Booga cocktail.

OK, did I get your attention? Some of you might be asking, "So what does this have to do with Tiki?" Well, it has a lot. If you've studied your "Tiki Modern" then you know that African Pop Primitivism has always played a supporting role in Tiki-style.

BigBro explains the cross-cultural relationship in Chapter 10:

"Although leopards and tigers never roamed the Polynesian islands, they were associated by proxy. The equation here was: Native environs = teeming jungles = big cats. This kind of mixing of stylistic influences was characteristic of the fantasy world of Tiki Modern, in which the spirit of whimsical savagery reigned, leaving boring authenticity to the stuffed shirts. Anyway most white folks didn't know better, or didn't care."

Now BigBro includes some 1950's cheesecake shots of starlets and models wearing the leopard skin. But when did this exotic appeal of the Dark Continent really begin? We need to go back to the early days of Pre-Tiki when sound in motion pictures was first introduced. The early 1930's were host to a film genre called the "Jungle Picture". These films ranged in subject from expeditionary documentaries, to straight adventure, and horror.

The best example of the sexual allure of these films is the Tarzan series starring Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan. Well actually not the whole series but the first two films (they were pre-code, but I'll get to that in a minute). Although Tarzan is a jungle adventure story, it has an underlying sexual premise. Jane Parker, a proper English lady on expedition, gets all hot and bothered after experiencing Tarzan's ape man charm. She then decides to abandon civilization and "go native". This is well shown in the superior 2nd film "Tarzan and His Mate" (1934), where she's prancing around in one of the skimpiest jungle bikinis in cinema history. It consists of a leather string supporting two narrow animal skins covering her front and back, but leaving her hips completely bare. She's obviously not wearing anything underneath.

Also Tarzan and Jane got to enjoy a sexual relationship outside the bounds of Christian matrimony. Note the title of the film - "Tarzan and his MATE". Who in the jungle was there to marry them? This was some hot stuff for a 1930's American movie audience. Especially eye-popping was Jane's nude swim scene. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f33Xhkfz6Ek

While not a Jungle picture, the most iconic (albeit politically incorrect) example of Africa's mid-century erotic appeal is Marlene Dietrich's famous nightclub scene in "Blonde Venus" (1932). Here she's dressed in a gorilla suit being lead around by a chorus of dancers in blackface. She sheds the suit and jumps into the song "Hot Voodoo".

Here's a sample of the lyrics:

Hot voodoo, black as mud
Hot voodoo, in my blood
That African tempo, has made a slave

Hot voodoo, dance of sin
Hot voodoo, worse than gin
I'd follow a cave man, right into his cave

Got voodoo, head to toes
Hot voodoo, burn my clothes
I want to start dancing, just wearing a smile

Hot voodoo, makes me wild
Oh fireman, save this child
I going to blazes
I want to be bad!

Here's the full scene - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyVrH1OfVjw (And yes that's Cary Grant).

Actually the first several years of movie sound were a hotbed for some pretty racy films. Not to get off my topic, but here are some of my favorites:

1. Public Enemy (1931) - James Cagney showing that crime does pay (until the last 10 seconds of the film).
2. Freaks (1932) - The main characters were actual circus freaks !! The ending is a shocker even by today's standards.
3. Mask of Fu Manchu (1932) - Boris Karloff in yellow face as the good doctor and Myrna Loy as his S&M loving daughter.
4. Baby Face (1933) - Barbara Stanwyck literally sleeps her way to the top of a bank.

Eventually all of this caught up with the movie studios. In 1934, based on protests from church groups and local decency organizations, the Hayes Code was enforced. The code was a list of industry censorship guidelines that put an end to the glorification of crime, extramarital sex, and gruesome horror.

Here's a picture comparing the pre-code Jane to the code-enforced Jane. :( And from that point on all of the Tarzan pictures switched from being suggestive adult fare to wholesome family entertainment.

OK so after that, where did all of the hot jungle action migrate to? That will be the topic of my next post where I cover the "Good Girl Art" Jungle Girls of the 1940's.

Please feel free share your comments but please let's not turn this into a cheesecake image thread just yet. Yeah I know you love Bettie in her leopard skin and your Exotica album art, but don't worry we'll get to that. Right now I'm trying to focus on subject matter that hasn't been covered on TC before and I'd like to keep the time line intact. I'll tell you right now though, I don't want to see any Hula Girls showing up unless they're being eaten by a lion or being boiled by African cannibals. :)

So for now "Umgawa" (Which in the Jungle pics meant either "Goodbye" or "Lead me to the elephant graveyard or I'll shoot your monkey").

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2010-02-10 12:00 ]

No Hula Girls?????

Seriously, this is a great thread! I love safari and "dark continent" style!

I am big into the books of that era, "Green mansions","Heart of darkness","frontiers of enchantment: an artist's adventures in Africa" (by W.R. Leigh) and of course the original "Tarzan."

I see little difference between the intention of this style and that of Tiki. masks, bamboo, Jungles, exotic drums....it all ties in and give me a fake zebra rug anyday!

Now onto movies, "Mogambo""hatari" and "african queen" (which Walt Disney loved so much he built a ride based on it)

Music...so much of Les Baxter is more pseudo-african style (not authentic african of course, but cinematic versions of hollywood Africa), like "tamboo"...

great thread! Let's see some pictures of bachelor pads done up jungle/Safari style!

[ Edited by: lucas vigor 2009-11-29 15:26 ]

this might drive some people crazy, but since this sound is featured in darn near every jungle movie ever made...enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc_-icFHwQo

That's fake! Some guy behind that rock wall is doing those! :wink:

Very cool. Some of it even sounds like monkey. The Tikiyakis need one as additional band member.

On 2009-11-29 15:06, JOHN-O wrote:

OK so after that, where did all of the hot jungle action migrate to? That will be the topic of my next post where I cover the "Good Girl Art" Jungle Girls of the 1940's.

Please feel free share your comments but please let's not turn this into a cheesecake image thread just yet. Yeah I know you love Bettie in her leopard skin and your Exotica album art, but don't worry we'll get to that. Right now I'm trying to focus on subject matter that hasn't been covered on TC before and I'd like to keep the time line intact.

Nice sub-SUB-genre of Tiki, more Exotica-style than Poly pop. But I am slightly kerfused: You're gonna do Jungle Girls next, but don't want cheesecake? How about cheekcate, then?

...in a nice leopard skin wrapper! :)

But the territory is very wide here, African pop goes beyond Jungle to Safari and African primitive art...
So: Which aspects relate to Tiki most?

There were some cool Safari motels and bars out there in Tiki times, like this amazing place in Sunnyside, Washington:

(Has anybody been there yet, Humu?)

And the first pop culture "Trader" was not Trader Vic, but Trader Horn, in 1931:

..a film that featured "the cruelest woman in all Africa"!

The name stuck and actor Harry Carey even made it into Buena Park's Movieland Waxmuseum with it:

...which by the way was a great example of mid-century modern kitsch:

But Trader Horn's fame waned after he was spoofed in 1970 with this exploitation epic:

While the South Sea Trader was certainly as much a historic figure as the African Trader, Victor Bergeron might have been just the slightest bit influenced by the popularity of the 1931 movie character in the choice of his monniker.

Don't forget 1932's Trader Mickey -

Very good! That shows how much of a pop icon he was, perpetuating another spin off. And the history of the character is the history of 20th Century American pop culture in a nut shell:
From Hollywood hero, to Cartoon, to Sexploitation flic! :D

We will never know if Vic (or Vic's wife) was influenced by the movie's popularity, but what would you do if you start a business (or re-name it) to appeal to a new target group that is supposed to to equate you with adventure and exotic recipes: You pick something that is already associated with that.

Just like Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gant perhaps, who, opened a business as DON The Beachcomber -5 Years after Don Blanding had become popular with his "Vagabond's House" and other tales of exotic ports of call in the South Seas.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2009-11-29 19:35 ]

Now you have done it John-O, you have broken out the "Bettie Page", Now reap the whirlwind!

What did you say the thread was about, again......Trader Joes, the what?

Bettie...........

More Whirlwind Johnny boy!

On 2009-11-29 18:47, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
What did you say the thread was about, again......

Well, he did say this:

On 2009-11-29 15:06, JOHN-O wrote:
Please feel free share your comments but please let's not turn this into a cheesecake image thread just yet. Yeah I know you love Bettie in her leopard skin and your Exotica album art, but don't worry we'll get to that.

I know, I went off topic, sorry John-O, but it was the whirlwind......it is stronger then you know....

I forgive you ATP, but keep in mind Jungle Bettie didn't spring directly from the 1930's Jungle pictures. There are a couple of Jungle Girl evolutionary steps in between. BigBro touched upon it but I'll be following up more in a future post. I'm glad you got that out of your system. :)

Also I'm hoping to see lots of pictures of Jungle-themed bars, restaurants, and motels. That's the point of this thread. Bring em' on !!

:) John-O, it is generally unwise to post pictures of something and then say "Don't post anything like this!" :D The Pavlovian conditioning is too hard to supersede.

Well Thank you Sven, I think? and John you just let me know when Bettie is pertinent to the topic,until then consider me in the Doghouse,
Now in the immortal words of Mr.Pop "I Wanna Be Your Dog "

P.S. Sven do you have a new book in the pipeline?

[ Edited by: Atomic Tiki Punk 2009-11-29 23:20 ]

On 2009-11-29 23:18, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
Well Thank you Sven, I think? and John you just let me know when Bettie is pertinent to the topic,until then consider me in the Doghouse,
Now in the immortal words of Mr.Pop "I Wanna Be Your Dog "

P.S. Sven do you have a new book in the pipeline?

Indeed, I included myself in that assessment, did I not post a leopard clad-beauty as the first image in my post?

Book-wise I am still working on the Tiki shirt book, my next publication will be a Tiki CD in March/April.

So lets see some Safari Motel signs and matchbooks and postcards and so on.
I have a special African Exotica post from the homeland in the works...

We-helllll..?
O.K., I am not gonna hold back any longer, here are some "Afrika Exotika" from Germany:

1950s Germans romanticized the negro, because they knew nothing of slavery, Civil War, racial strife and segregated businesses. There just were too few black folk around in them parts -which in fact made them "exotic". Blacks were either IN Africa, which was a far way exotic land, or they were Jazz musicians, --both being considered cool.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b14b9e2.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=d5a7cfe46077d1e165f0644ee9c13dfd

Though the Nazis had equally discriminated radically against all non-Arians, that uncomfortable recent history was suppressed, and naive imagery from the turn-of-the-century period of the African German colonies was re-employed. I remember that until the late 70s, a common type of kid's marshmallow was called "Negerkuss" (Negro Kiss).

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b14bd4c.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=8915e51e38cb3fea85ed31015b6b1125

To this day I can see nothing wrong with that. I think it's very poetic.

As part of this naive fascination with the exotic other, decorative ceramic figures were made. Today they are as collectible as Tiki ceramics

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b14ba4d.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=e3ba8f8a6db6866b179623e55c64b57a

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b14bf5a.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=dd29bed5d3327432ba532592f91f1b37

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b14c329.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=a0175e19b1ec554b424879562de16463

Some are more beautiful and "modern" than others:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b14c34e.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=62a41454682a85bdcde3616101e28941

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b14bfd5.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=f5c7096adb3f83ef18f8558846ee679c

The manufacturer of these beauties is Cortendorf:
http://cgi.ebay.at/MID-CENTURY-FIGUR-AFRIKANERIN-NEGERIN-CORTENDORF-50er-_W0QQitemZ260493070421QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20091019?IMSfp=TL091019236001r3881#ht_1165wt_921

..but they don't come cheap, have to be paid in Euro, and are easily breakable.

And some were just black Exotica girls:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b14c0a2.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=16d71bb494cea4ce5fc4648b8fc25fe3

Some were utilized for other purposes, like this bottle stopper:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b14c116.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=5bfe47415b4f0472a7184656bc887826

I believe I already posted this in my "Pop Primitivism" thread (another TC thread that did not elicit much response):

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b14c198.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=1a9e605d257bee294979f808c152ff81

Hope you enjoyed this little excursion into German Afrika kitsch, now back to American Jungle/Safari pop culture! :)

Thanks Sven, are these from your own collection?

A bunch of animal heads on the wall does not necessarily a JUNGLE Atmosphere create:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/388/4b14d1ac.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=acffa47bf2148590e2d0eb56e3f31722

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/388/4b14d1be.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=90ce0827efa436984c1550749855df9a

The "African Room" in Carefree, Arizona does a much better job:
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/388/4b14d1e2.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=249d6a235244ea69a3aaf7957d763f5b

Especially here, with the leopard-skin booths and the frightening Witch Doctor:
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/388/4b14d1d3.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=795949294d310007281e06666321e1e1

On 2009-11-30 23:24, bigbrotiki wrote:

O.K., I am not gonna hold back any longer, here are some "Afrika Exotika" from Germany:

Wow, I really dig those "Exotica" figurines. Definitely a lot more respectful than a lot of the Black caricatures that were coming out of America in the mid-century.

I'm assuming all of those figurines are vintage and are no longer being produced. (If not, I want to buy a reproduction. :)) I see a whole new subject matter for American "Low Brow" artists. I'll buy mine at the Soap Plant.

Thanks for sharing that !! When I titled this thread "Pop Culture Iconography of the Dark Continent", I never figured other countries might have their own unique take on the subject.

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2009-12-01 14:08 ]

It must have been a European phenomena, as figurines, wall masks and all manner of 'black African' ware were sold in the UK during the late 50s - early 60s.

Next time I'm out round the Antique stalls I'll take a few snaps to back the statement up.

Cool. This almost mirrors mid-century tourist Hawaiiana. The same level of affection for (respectful) African imagery never took off in the US. At least not that I'm aware of. It would be interesting to see what came out of "Kitsch" crazy Asian countries like Japan.

On 2009-12-01 08:54, Pikeys Dog wrote:
It must have been a European phenomena, as figurines, wall masks and all manner of 'black African' ware were sold in the UK during the late 50s - early 60s.

Next time I'm out round the Antique stalls I'll take a few snaps to back the statement up.

Sure.
A strong fad in Spain too during the 50´s/60´s.
So strong, that believe it or not, even plastic versions of this ceramics were produced, like this one:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9089/4b158355.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=4187783c68221793e22aa6de20d4f076

Spanish plaster wall plaque

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9089/4b15847a.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=40fb80b9be062565409826a8700630d1

I´m a German's exotic ceramics recovering addict.
Because of Bigbro´s post I´m in serious danger of a relapse.
For the moment just undusted a couple of my favorite pieces.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9089/4b158311.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=6914f9d82bea6a9ca717923659eb8936

Ashtray with impressive smoke through the mouth effect.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9089/4b158539.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=f4a95e847895f632f5b7c2014da4534a

And figurine that combines ceramic, wood and metal.

He he he...check out THIS beauty!:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b159352.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=f8cd2c83c779a1e07692c132b9b44378

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b1593a7.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=6f264c9a4864745e736d2ec325d7f914

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b1593bf.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=1a52631523152820937842a4d6825e30

But don't worry folks, I don't own any of the items I posted, they're all clipped from e-bay Germany (and I think I just seriously damaged my chances of affording one by posting them! :) )

I just have some of the standard American stuff, like this lil vase

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b1595e3.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=5f3ffe9a5e7f9ad7f417831d60eca1a5

It almost fits on THIS container :D

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b15954e.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=bd92091f4cc9fe8fe2396e1430e64304

Here's my only piece from a flea market in Germany:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b159606.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=05bb968818a66c1353c313502788e6dc

And back to the States, here a nice modernist 14 inch plate by Marc Bellaire:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b159a04.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=53504b3e3faa7947c356740865c88c1b

And last not least this fine lamp is from Duke Carter's collection:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b1596a7.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=3e002e0571e625c4c335b7c1002fac88

The fact that Europe had so much more of these African Exotica clearly has to do with the lack of, and distance to, a black population and the social issues resulting from that, allowing people to "exoticise" the theme in a more naive and carefree manner -just like the U.S. mainland's distance to Polynesia left people free to fantasize about it more here than on Hawaii.

In the works: Safari matchbooks and Witco Africana!

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2009-12-02 08:29 ]

Digging that lamp! And bring on the witco Africana!

Actually I'm not ready to leave the 1930's just yet.

I forgot to include one of the more infamous mid-century portrayals of exotic "African" culture - the jungle natives of Skull Island in the original 1933 "King Kong".

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9067/4b15b4d0.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=399ac77acf012d04cb4baf61114442f1

Here's a colorized version of them (Damn you, Ted Turner !!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMyPFDMSG_M

This was the stereotypical American flip-side to the more affectionate European pop culture interpretations of Africa that BigBro and Mister Naufrago shared (although there was a 20-year gap). How embarrassing !! :(

Also Skull Island was the first in a long line of mysterious jungle islands to have dark-skinned inhabitants. My childhood favorite was the "Danger Island" serial on the Banana Splits TV show in the late 1960's. "Uh-oh Chongo, it's Danger Island time !!" Dig that jazzy score which was typical of so many of TV's opening themes of the time. Also notice the wild mixture of exotic elements. I saw Caribbean pirates, South American Indians, animals indigenous to Africa, and check out the guy in the fez !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ql7dIIItdo

And if you want to ask "So where there any Tikis on Danger Island?", please start a separate thread. :) (Sorry for jumping ahead 3 decades but my childhood nostalgia got the better of me.)

And yeah, I know I probably should be focusing more on an "academic" analysis of African Pop Primitism and its role in Tiki-style, but sorry my mid-century cultural tastes lean towards the low brow and kitschy.

Coming up next from me, more Jungle Girls.....

On 2009-12-01 18:36, JOHN-O wrote:

Also Skull Island was the first in a long line of mysterious jungle islands to have dark-skinned inhabitants. My childhood favorite was the "Danger Island" serial on the Banana Splits TV show in the late 1960's. "Uh-oh Chongo, it's Danger Island time !!" Dig that jazzy score which was typical of so many of TV's opening themes of the time. Also notice the wild mixture of exotic elements. I saw Caribbean pirates, South American Indians, animals indigenous to Africa, and check out the guy in the fez !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ql7dIIItdo

Absolutely fantastic music!

No no, we know this is not a TIKI thread, but a side subject/ related/ Exotica thread. And scholarly shmolarly, this is visceral fun, the same fun that the folks shooting that show obviously had.

Cool title sequence, I had never heard of the show. It makes clear that by the 70s all the" Jungle Island" cliches we are so fond of could only be presented in the form of a spoof....which, after the joke became old, just became an old hat, to be discarded wholesale.

I can't help but think that this episode of I Love Lucy had to have had some impact on peoples ideas of "The Dark Continent". Or perhaps this episode was just a reflection of what people already thought of the place/culture? It's obviously culturally significant because it is I Love Lucy. In fact, when this episode (Lucy Goes To The Hospital-1953) aired, it was the most watched episode in the history of television. (estimates are 63%-75% of the nations tv viewers watched it).

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9285/4b15dd7b.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=4bcc7001be8c4ee5f9911e8953fdadb2

[ Edited by: tiki shaker 2009-12-01 23:05 ]

I yay yay.....curumba

On 2009-12-01 19:05, bigbrotiki wrote:
Cool title sequence, I had never heard of the show. It makes clear that by the 70s all the" Jungle Island" cliches we are so fond of could only be presented in the form of a spoof....which, after the joke became old, just became an old hat, to be discarded wholesale.

I have to adjust my own assessment after viewing a couple of episodes of Danger Island: It apparently was not an all out spoof, the suspense sequences created were serious (even if low budget). But because it was a kids show, the fight sequences were defused by making them silly, with "Batman" TV show sound effects and funny moves.

22 begins with such a fight, but then the cave sequence is some of the best Ooga Booga/Ungawa stuff I have ever seen. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bORCmeWKlZg&feature=related

Then, the pie fight in # 23 really is way over the top --but kids must have loved it.

One more thing: The fact that this show took place on a tropical Island, just like King Kong, would point to a more Melanesian/Micronesian, (and not African), location. But the village huts are clearly African, so it shows again that all concerns about ethnological authenticity went out the window in this pop genre, and any tribes NOT from Polynesia became a melange of "dark-skinned savages" and their cliches, borrowing equal amounts from Melanesia and Africa.

The disappearance of Michael Rockefeller in 1961 gave fuel to this kind of pop culture mythology:

...Rockefeller returned to New Guinea to study the Asmat and collect Asmat art. "It's the desire to do something adventurous," he explained, "at a time when frontiers, in the real sense of the word, are disappearing."
On November 17, 1961, Rockefeller and Dutch anthropologist René Wassing were in a 40-foot dugout canoe about three miles from shore when their double pontoon boat was swamped and overturned.... At the time, Rockefeller's disappearance was a MAJOR WORLD NEWS ITEM. His body was never found. He was declared legally dead in 1964.

Most believe that Rockefeller either drowned or was attacked by a shark or crocodile. Because headhunting and cannibalism were still present in some areas of Asmat in 1961, some have speculated that Rockefeller was killed and eaten by local people."

He couldn't just have drowned, he got eaten! :)

YES!

Danger Island : As a child I anticipated every weekend to watch the latest episode.

I realized it then - I realize it now. DI is just plain old pre-adolescent fun. Why?

1. Blond hair girl in tight white jeans w/ open front shirt tied at the belly button.

2. Blond hair boy usually in shorts and bare chested (Jan Michael Vincent pre drug burn-out)

3. Exotic locale beyond my bland Orange County existence AND the natives living communally.

The cheesy factor of DI didn't register in my childhood mind then. We had to endure the Banana Splits' velveeta to get to our beloved Island. Hell, it was still the 60s and yes, I loved TVs Batman too. Danger Island was my Fantasy Island (I suppose).

Uh Oh CHONGOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4956/4b16b6b5.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=0a99a2f6e878af87554c1e9bda702db8

Can I turn off the TV an go back to the Old Continent? (hope you don´t mind this transatlantic ping-pong)

From very its very beginning in the mid sixties Spanish tiki recipe had a pinch of African Primitive Pop. Since reference books used by firsts Spanish artisans mixed Oceanic and African primitive arts, they just probably thought "if its good for art scholars it´s good for this humble artisan.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9089/4b16c8ed.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=f228fdf560df21c32cd7c328bbb8ce8b

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9089/4b16c8d2.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=a6aeb80e53e46b0dd724ed612116e788

The importance of this ingredient grew with time originating peculiar sub genre that unashamedly mingled both styles.
Feral felines and Hawaiian cocktails in Segovia.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9089/4b16c8b9.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=e921c5e76d245487cadc7ccf2d3aa2d6

To this day (con)fusion of styles persists.
Moais on the outside

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9089/4b16cca8.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=85c46576ab7c34870edbd5439e003de0

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9089/4b16cb6d.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=617ef728578b33bdec6fd2267a9b600c

Life size rhinos on the inside.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9089/4b16cd18.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=c74c24df43f2136d3a0a98ed0f6b83cf

Anything similar in the U.S.?

Mr. Naufrago, are you from Spain?

My father was born in Andalucia.

On 2009-12-02 10:49, little lost tiki wrote:
Uh Oh CHONGOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/4956/4b16b6b5.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=0a99a2f6e878af87554c1e9bda702db8

OK, I'm going to turn the TV on again for one quick minute. This is kind of embarrassing after Mister Naufrago's thoughtful last post.

Actually kids' TV shows in the 1960's weren't always just silly mindless fun. Case in point, the animated show Jonny Quest. This was actually a pretty faithful tribute to the pulp serial adventures of the 1930's and 1940's. It did a great job of mixing science fiction, cold war spy drama, and exotic locales like Africa, South America, Asia, etc. I don't remember if they ever had a Polynesian episode. Another cool jazzy theme.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fYTA7bxqP4

And they also had their fair share of dark-skinned natives.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9067/4b16c3c7.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=b60eafd22364c48ad90779b3884677ea Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9067/4b16c3cd.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=c4a52b22f9cdc0575a2e6a70ee909b04

I always thought of recurring character, Jezebel Jade, as a cartoon quasi-exotica girl. She certainly harkened back to the "Good Girl Art" of the 1940's (which I'll be posting on soon).

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9067/4b16c3d2.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=19427de7fdecbb38ef32f06321eae82f

Check out the late Dave Steven's rendition of Jezebel on the cover of a Jonny Quest revival comic.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9067/4b16c3d9.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=25e916611a75a764a4c79a211f6b1795

BTW, for those members of the "Cult of Bettie" (ATP, I'm talking about you), Dave Stevens was responsible for resurrecting Bettie Page's popularity when he used her as a character in his 1980's comic "The Rocketeer" (far left) and well as creating other "Bettie Revival" artwork. That's when the Bettie floodgates really opened.

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9067/4b16c3e1.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=b24e684abf668cecfe2fe8579d337f95 Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9067/4b16c3e7.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=c4988ce811aa1a3aa8fee04cc24b4c5a Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9067/4b16c3ed.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=d5c2bf0403a06b9dd05b4d4670437b19

OK this was just a 1960's (and 1980's revival) detour, I still need to jump back to the 1940's.

The TV has now been turned off. :)

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2009-12-02 13:26 ]

John-O,
I am afraid I was around in the thick of the Bettie revival, I lived in Hollywood in the 80s, my night job was working at "The Golden Apple" a rally point for early Bettie Page freaks,so I join the ranks, A regular there of course was "Dave Stevens" who ended up dating my roommate for awhile,he was a cool guy, so when someone mentions Bettie Page, this might explain my over enthusiasm.

Also as a original member of the Banana Splits club, watch what you say about the Splits......man

Hey, I probably bought the first issues of the Betty Pages from you! :) That was a great zine!

I may have been, Sven, one crazy store, one of my co workers at the time was Jesse James "Monster Garage" who helped with security during book signings.

Many famous regulars came and went daily there.

On 2009-12-02 14:47, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:

Many famous regulars came and went daily there.

And I was one of them. I used to drop in every month from the mid-80's up until 2004 when (owner) Bill Liebowitz passed away.

Now back to Mister Naufrago.....

On 2009-12-02 12:30, Mister Naufrago wrote:

....The importance of this ingredient grew with time originating peculiar sub genre that unashamedly mingled both styles.

....To this day (con)fusion of styles persists.

Anything similar in the U.S.?

Of course we have that same (con)fusion of styles here, you just need to visit "Danger Island". :)

Ha, ha. Forget mid-century kitsch, here in LA we have major historic landmarks that unabashedly mix vastly differing styles. Union Station for one combines a Mission Revival exterior with a Streamline Moderne interior.

As far as your specific example is concerned, that's what I'm hoping to see show up on this thread. There's only two operational mid-century Africa-themed businesses that I'm aware of in Los Angeles (future post). Neither of them has any Poly-Pop style. Ditto for our So Ca Tiki places, no stuffed lions or gorillas to be seen.

Thanks for sharing. Only BigBro and Sabu have come through so far. I can't believe we have hundreds of soiled cocktail napkins and menus posted here, but not one stuffed lion. :(

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2009-12-02 17:30 ]

As to Mr. Naufrago's question, the main place I know of where those two genres got mixed freely was the house of Witco. But that I will get to later. First, let's go on a little matchbook Safari:

The most iconic image in these parts is of course Burbank's SAFARI INN sign:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b175931.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=76620cfe79cf59870ad8d69925653fdd

I used this architectural detail of an African lancer from the Inn in Tiki Modern:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b175b51.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=2fdfcf2c207ed2dd617c5ace81ba91aa

The shield'n'spear could actually be regarded as the main logo of the style:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b175d7c.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=10f172be1ff655c8a9623e358f7320e8
(here it's even a Witco shield)

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b175f1e.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=9f89524abe608806032df8b41ea92497

Not all shield'n'spear places were called "Safari" though:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b175db0.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=c39e1c9f22aa433bd9466eb1a388e904

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b176005.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=fad550a5efacac17ce3b34e7a84ba058

But there definitely were more "Safaris" out there than any other names:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b1760c9.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=47bd7fe63d316b6eecf5136835c579e4

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b176200.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=1a03f71ecdab16f0a6b2a0d33697ccd4

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b1762fb.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=bc3af83d3b3c866fd8f2aa094b18b442

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b176353.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=dcdab735a9d59f0d80f0b2f8dfffb3fc

Here's the one Safari Restaurant that still is open, and that I have been to:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b176395.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=c025c1d1074b0ab964efd86c08f79349

But, as I said, there were other monikers, earlier in the century:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b176528.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=ea18f4521aad80a229ed16293a1009e6

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b176562.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=38d6f3a104b1309aa19d355523dbd6be
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b1765d2.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=c16182957906f8ab78f792e6644cc985

And here a cross-over subject that is not really Polynesian but part of Polynesian pop history:

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b176762.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=dbf2fed93a1ac7d4c835d0eb67f15589
Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/35/4b17674e.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=003b63b6e0e5bd2a2a90d73e7c21288b

And that's all for tonight, folks! :D

On 2009-12-02 12:46, lucas vigor wrote:
Mr. Naufrago, are you from Spain?

My father was born in Andalucia.

Sí paisano.
My grandparents left the country and I was born and spent my chilhood in Venezuela.
The family returned to Spain after el Generalisimo death.

You should visit Andalucia some day.
The weather is great, beaches, surf, lots of Tiki and even ocasional earthquakes.
Just like in California. :)

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9089/4b1776ff.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=b60396906e97d509b82fa51b5696f782

Meanwhile check this Moai Andaluz

Image Missing: https://tikicentral.com/resize.php/uploads/9089/4b1774ae.jpg?w=1280&h=1280&fit=max&sharp=5&s=9d9e0077a6f731b896f7b190fc8e56a2

Nicccceeeeeee....