The Jungle-style Thread - Pop Culture Iconography of the Dark Continent

This had been in heavy rotation for me as of late...

I know this might be old hat for the hardcore Exotica collectors out there but for those who rarely leave the Les Baxter/Martin Denny/Arthur Lyman comfort zone, it might be informative. Chaino gets scant attention here on TC.

This out-of-print compilation CD had been on my wish list for quite a while now, I recently picked it up at BigTikiDude's Surf Convention of all places !! The signature sound is jungle percussion, tribal chanting, and jungle grunting and howling.

Some of this stuff is pretty crazy, the song "Jungle Chase" is an unabashed depiction of hot jungle sex. The fact that it came out in the late 1950's boggles the mind !! And "Rockin' Bird Bongo" and "Swinging Congo Bird" take the whole Exotica "bird noises" schtick to another fun level.

And check out this kinky (for the time) S&M jungle imagery...

Here's the revalation for me. I always assumed Chaino was from Africa. His publicized mythology states he was an orphan who was "the only survivor of a lost race of people from the wilds of the jungle in a remote part of central Africa where few white men have ever been."

The real fact is that he was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Chicago !! The guy was as fake Exotic as Korla Pandit was (and which makes his music all the more cooler IMHO). :)

John-O educating the Ohana!

Checking Chaino on youtube a commenter noted Kirby Allen the record producer that discovered Chaino died recently in a house fire after - "The woman who made it out of her home reportedly said Allan woke her up and she was able to make it out of the house."

http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_southeast_valley/mesa/firefighters-respond-to-mesa-house-fire,-find-man-dead-in-home

On 2011-09-07 13:24, JOHN-O wrote:
I know this might be old hat for the hardcore Exotica collectors out there...

Ooops, I just reviewed past posts on this thread and noticed this ground has been covered. (Images only though, no keywords to search on). It took me that long to finally acquire the CD, ha ha.

Never mind...

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2011-09-07 16:34 ]

3 Chaino cds for sale here
http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/artist/Chaino/a/albums.htm

On 2011-09-07 15:36, martian-tiki wrote:
Checking Chaino on youtube a commenter noted Kirby Allen the record producer that discovered Chaino died recently in a house fire after - "The woman who made it out of her home reportedly said Allan woke her up and she was able to make it out of the house."

http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_southeast_valley/mesa/firefighters-respond-to-mesa-house-fire,-find-man-dead-in-home

Wow!! Didn't know about this. So sad. Thanks martian-tiki.

A lot of the Chaino CD's can be found at the Dionysus Records website too!

Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff

Would PNG Tiki be the blending of South Pacific and African recreations?

From Mogambo

[ Edited by: Kava Kerwin 2011-09-11 19:47 ]

If you are a fan of Hatari this is a comparable film from 1967.

I am a HUGE fan of Hatari, and the marvelous soundtrack!

That reminded me of another Swahili-titled show from the 60's. Anyone remember the television series Daktari? Here's the intro to the show. I want that Hedley Mattingly outfit!

"The rum's the thing..."

[ Edited by: Limbo Lizard 2011-09-11 08:01 ]

On 2011-09-11 07:59, Limbo Lizard wrote:

...Anyone remember the television series Daktari?...

Yup, actually here's my more comprehensive post to Jungle-style in 1960's television. :)

(And Kava Kerwin, could you shrink your giant picture on the previous page?, it generates horizontal scrolling. Thanks)

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2011-09-11 10:38 ]

On 2011-09-11 07:59, Limbo Lizard wrote:
...I want that Hedley Mattingly outfit!

I want that Cheryl Miller outfit... on my bedroom floor! (just kidding - that is wrong on so many levels :D )

Wow...brave Cheryl Miller...that cat looks ready to pounce. I love the safari look...have my master bath done in that theme.

An earlier part of this thread noted that there were and probably still are wild monkeys living along the Space Coast of Florida, originating in the 1970s from the long-defunct Johnny Weissmuller’s Tropical Wonderland attraction in Titusville. The original Tarzan the Ape Man is also connected with a much older and more successful wild monkey colony in another part of Florida. Its ever expanding population made the news this week on television and in print, with one sighting in Palm Coast, only a few miles from my beach house in Flagler Beach...

The Orlando Sentinel January 8, 2012

This article traces the origin of the Silver Springs monkeys back to the filming of Tarzan movies in the 1930s...

The Wrap March 12, 2010

In yet another part of Florida, Patas monkeys made a daring escape into the wild. According to the Honolulu Zoo web site, these are probably the fastest primates on earth...

Wake Up America April 23, 2008

Borrowing a line from Bugs Bunny, “Run for the hills folks, or you'll be up to your armpits in monkeys!”

-Tom

[ Edited by: TikiTomD 2012-01-10 17:22 ]

Leopards are Tiki plus they love monkeys !!

Thanks Tom, there's so much to Florida besides the Mai Kai.

I still have the ruins of Tropical Wonderland on my "to do" list. :)

Here's some cool mid-century Jungle-style album cover imagery I found on this fun website...

And some "Tiki" too...

The Jungle thread is ALIVE!

JOHN-O, that jungle album imagery is really fine eye-candy.

The Jungle meets the South Seas at Don the Beachcomber's birthday bash for Anita Colby in this Life Magazine article from September 23, 1946...

Here's the rest of the article...

-Tom

That could be a very significant photo, perhaps it was the exact moment in Pre-Tiki history when Stephen Crane was inspired to go down that same Poly-Pop path thus paving the way for Tiki-style as we know it today. :)

On 2012-01-10 16:04, TikiTomD wrote:
"... the state Department of Natural Resources tested some of the animals [rhesus macaques] and found they were carrying a herpes virus that could be deadly to humans...

Oh. Well. Never mind, then. Heard those monkeys were sluts, but I guess I'm cancelling my south Florida vacation plans.

"The rum's the thing..."

[ Edited by: Limbo Lizard 2012-02-28 22:29 ]

This comes from one of those old 1950s Men's magazines. I am not sure if it belongs here or in the "nudity" thread, but the scene in the corner reminds me of one of the images above.

I was reminded of this by this photo:

[ Edited by: PiPhiRho 2012-02-29 10:39 ]

While excavating images in the digital archives, I came across this ad for a place I would have dearly loved to have spent an evening...

The Miami News July 13, 1962

-Tom

I'd go! :)

The return of the "The Jungle-style Thread" !

How about the African Room in New York? Picked up this oversized matchbook with some nice imagery.

DC

Here's a postcard of the African Room where that matchbook came from. Notice the matching address:

Love that ceiling! And is that a zebra in the bathroom??

Anyone have pics of the menus from there?

Cool finds, guys! Amazing matchbook art. Wonder how the place looked with wild African drumming going on on that stage!

Here's one more film poster that fits this thread:

Oh, and I forgot if I posted this German sillyness here before, a mid-century African pop classic!:

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

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2012-11-29 22:13 ]

I hope there is no fire ant attacks!

An early chronicler of Dark Continent pulp fiction was Talbot Mundy, best known for "King of the Khyber Rifles," and "OM-the Secret of Ahbor Valley." Though jungle pulp writers were a dime a dozen during the pulp heyday, Mundy's works distinguished themselves with not only an experienced viewpoint (having traveled throughout the world during his younger, rowdier years), but more often than not took an anti-empire stance.

Though published primarily in the pulps during the 1940's, his books are more literary than most others in the genre, and later in his career began to incorporate mystical elements of adventure. His oeuvre laid the groundwork for the "Indiana Jones" franchise.

His stories range from the Himalayas to ancient Egypt and Britain, but his most quintessential adventure tale took place in Africa in "The Ivory Trail."

His books had become relatively hard to find by the 1970's when I began amassing them, but now most are available in reprinted paperbacks and free downloads.

Though I'm sure nothing he ever wrote can stand up to "Pagan Lesbians" for sheer entertainment.

[ Edited by: White Devil 2012-11-30 13:46 ]

So is this where our Tanya Roberts "Sheena" pics go, or does she get her own thread?

For a dose of reality, though this thread is really not about that... If you have an urgent need for a contemporary jungle immersion experience that’s in-country, come to Florida. In the wild, we have non-indigenous native born monkeys, Burmese pythons and monitor lizards... and we are up to our armpits in indigenous alligators along with a smattering of American salt-water crocodiles. For terrain, we have practically impenetrable swamps, dense hammocks (Florida lingo for hummocks) and savannahs.

To really spice things up, our newest addition is the Nile crocodile, a man-eating, freshwater-loving species that makes its American cousin appear to be timid and gentle… “Never smile at a Nile crocodile...in Florida”

Yes, this photo is gratuitously graphic to underscore the danger. It was not taken in Florida, but rather Taiwan, where an unfortunate veterinarian failed to realize that the tranquilizer dart didn’t take. He had a really bad day at work.

-Tom

I can attest to the "up to your armpits in gators" portion. I had the privilege to travel by fan boat around a Florida lake. A very very cool way to travel, however there were gators ALL over the place. I stepped out of our car and there was actually one probably no more than 15 yards from me. Looking back on it now, I honestly wished I hadn't supported the small company I ventured with as they had very exotic animals in very tight quarters on location....and I'd almost go so far as to say that some were illegal! (don't quote me on that, though. I'm not a zoologist) I am glad that I walked away un-eaten by a Florida gator.

On 2009-12-11 14:27, JOHN-O wrote:

Did anyone here ever visit the Jungleland (1956-1968) in Thousand Oaks ?

I have vague childhood memories of riding on an elephant there.

Facebook is good for true content after all !! (Although I had to wade through hundreds of "cute" cat photos before finding this mid-century jewel :D). From a recent Vintage Los Angeles FB post...

I have a fading memory of a visit to Jungleland & seeing a chimp that was in
one of the Tarzan movies & one of the "Lassies" (more then one dog played Lassie)
Also,I remember the place was on the small side.

Spent alot more time at the "Japanese Dear Park"

Rarotonga was technically Melanesian but she vibes more Pam Grier to me !!

(image courtesy of Zeta)

I must find this movie !!

I love the movie serials of the 1930's and 1940's. I recently spend the last several weeks grinding my way through this one…

The plot revolves around Nazi agents scheming to control an African tribe as a way of expanding their domination into the Europe prior to WWII. If anyone thinks "Indiana Jones" was an original concept, they should watch this B-grade series.

As with all Jungle pictures of that era, no attempt was made to provide any cultural authenticity. It's a wild mix of African "natives" speaking with Californian speech cadences, stone temples with Mayan designs, crumbling Asian idols, exploding volcanoes, magic swords, and a mystical indigenous Jungle Queen who is whiter than white.

No Tikis though. :(

On 2013-02-03 07:45, JOHN-O wrote:

As with all Jungle pictures of that era, no attempt was made to provide any cultural authenticity. It's a wild mix of African "natives" speaking with Californian speech cadences, stone temples with Mayan designs, crumbling Asian idols, exploding volcanoes, magic swords, and a mystical indigenous Jungle Queen who is whiter than white.

No Tikis though. :(

still way cool, though! Seems to have all the elements we associate with exotica!

INGAGI... another movie I really want to see, alas it's a lost film. :(

Probably one of the loopiest pre-code flicks, this 1930 Jungle picture claimed to show a ritual where African women were sacrificed to be brides of gorillas. The lurid premise and featured nudity were justified on the basis that it was an actual documentary.

The public bought the hoax !!

Is there any better example of the common Zeitgeist between Jungle-style and Tiki-style than Adventureland ??

Or maybe that's been discussed already.

cool, finally a thread I can get into!!
my backyard is full on Jungle cruise inspired!!

Just ran across this last night. A pc from the Congo Jungle nightclub in Houston, TX that I hadn't seen before! Thank you Boston Public Library! Bigbro, I have an email coming your way. :)