Essential Tiki

Some local tikiphiles and I had over imbibed and began rambling over what is essential in a tikiphiles collection. Now that I am sober (sigh), I thought I would ask this collection of fanatics.

One essential in my entire tiki collection is "Tiki Road Trip" because this great resource provides me opportunities to be a wandering tiki-archeologist.

For my friend Jeannie, it is a tiki mug her father had from an old Shrine convention from the early 1960's. It is quintessentially what we all covet, too!

What is an essential to your tiki collection?

Vince Martini endorses Fez-O-Rama!

[ Edited by: Vince Martini 2010-05-07 20:45 ]

I'll start with a few books, "The Book Of Tiki", Beach Bum Berry's "Remixed" and Thor's "Kon Tiki and Aku Aku".

A mug or 2 from an event you have attended or a bar you have ordered a drink from.

At least 1 carved Tiki that is not a tourist item and as many tourist Tiki's you can find at the thrift store.
A Puffer fish lamp in the room you drink our Mai Tai's in and some Denny, Lyman, Tikiyaki, Waitiki (I could go on and on)for listening while enjoying that Mai Tai.

Rum.

On 2010-05-09 06:59, bananabobs wrote:
Rum.

I would collect rum whether I was a tikiphile or not.

About the tourist tikis-
does it count as tourist if it's a hand carved tiki you picked up at the International Marketplace?

[ Edited by: Wayfarer 2010-05-11 03:43 ]

Classic exotica and hapa haole music!

http://www.myspace.com/lucasvigor
http://www.myspace.com/thesmokinmenehunes
http://www.myspace.com/thehulagirlsband

"yer jus not tuned into the series of tubes yet, let it soak in".

[ Edited by: lucas vigor 2010-05-11 06:53 ]

On 2010-05-11 03:41, Wayfarer wrote:
About the tourist tikis-
does it count as tourist if it's a hand carved tiki you picked up at the International Marketplace?

[ Edited by: Wayfarer 2010-05-11 03:43 ]

Wayfarer -

If it has personality and mojo -- if it is something any of us would covet adding to our collection; or, if it has specific sentimental value to you, then it deserves mention my friend!

On 2010-05-11 06:51, lucas vigor wrote:
Classic exotica and hapa haole music!

http://www.myspace.com/lucasvigor
http://www.myspace.com/thesmokinmenehunes
http://www.myspace.com/thehulagirlsband

"yer jus not tuned into the series of tubes yet, let it soak in".

[ Edited by: lucas vigor 2010-05-11 06:53 ]

Lucas -

We have not yet met, but you are well on your way to being claimed as a true hoapili by Mr. Vince Martini! Not just Polynesian music but a little Brazilian samba and bossa nova as well? How did you know???

And just say YEAH, YEAH, YEAH to hula-billy and The Hula Girls! By the way, the lead vocal on "Volcano" has a certain Johnathan Richman/Chris Isaak quality about it. So, how do I get my hands on a Hula Girls recording?

UBER FANTASTIC!!!

Shaken and stirred -

Vince Martini

[ Edited by: Vince Martini 2010-05-11 07:28 ]

On 2010-05-11 07:10, Vince Martini wrote:

On 2010-05-11 03:41, Wayfarer wrote:
About the tourist tikis-
does it count as tourist if it's a hand carved tiki you picked up at the International Marketplace?

[ Edited by: Wayfarer 2010-05-11 03:43 ]

Wayfarer -

If it has personality and mojo -- if it is something any of us would covet adding to our collection; or, if it has specific sentimental value to you, then it deserves mention my friend!

Then I'll mention it then, I picked up a little Lono I kept on my mantle back home and a tiki cane. A wooden walking stick of tiki's stacked like a totem pole.

Any gift(s) from fellow tikiphiles

[ Edited by: TikiG 2010-05-11 10:05 ]

@ Wayfarer - sounds like you need to post some pics so we can take a gander at this cane.

@ TikiG - Man, that is the coolest answer!

Since we are a social sort, those items shared matter the most. Right? I get gifts from friends who know I am into tiki and they have some family treasure. So, they may not be into tiki themselves, but the gift is still very special, cause they know I totally dig it.

[ Edited by: Vince Martini 2010-05-11 10:36 ]

I don't have any good detail shots of the cane. It's just sort of always been there so I never thought to do that. Next to it is a RPG packing case, it's basically a tubular ammo can. (I use it to store over-sized art) Both it and the tiki cane are thing I brought back from deployments.

On 2010-05-11 03:41, Wayfarer wrote:
About the tourist tikis-
does it count as tourist if it's a hand carved tiki you picked up at the International Marketplace?

[ Edited by: Wayfarer 2010-05-11 03:43 ]

I say a big YES to that. Although the Polynesian Pop we celebrate here on TC is mostly the mainland version of Tiki, I think it's absolutely necessary to pick up an IMP Tiki when in Waikiki....why ? just because you were actually there to get it, and it's so cool to bring back a tiki from Hawaii.

It's the tradition.

On 2010-05-13 10:50, tikiyaki wrote:

On 2010-05-11 03:41, Wayfarer wrote:
About the tourist tikis-
does it count as tourist if it's a hand carved tiki you picked up at the International Marketplace?

[ Edited by: Wayfarer 2010-05-11 03:43 ]

I say a big YES to that. Although the Polynesian Pop we celebrate here on TC is mostly the mainland version of Tiki, I think it's absolutely necessary to pick up an IMP Tiki when in Waikiki....why ? just because you were actually there to get it, and it's so cool to bring back a tiki from Hawaii.

Glad I got it there then! When I was in Hawaii I wasn't into Polynesian Pop or any of the stuff I'm into now but walking throught the IMP, even not knowing it's history back then, getting the tiki seemed like the thing to do.

Since I'm new to Tiki and only have a few items in my collection, I'll just list what I have:

Book: Tiki Modern by Sven Kirsten
Book: Tiki Style by Sven Kirsten
Martin Denny: Quiet Village/Enchanted Sea CD
A fistful of Capitol Records' "Ultra Lounge" CDs
Tiki Magazine subscription

Of these items, I'd say the essential one is Tiki Modern. Tiki Modern illustrates very well how Tiki and Witco fits into the Mid-Century zeitgeist and the aesthetic of the Modern art movement. I smiled when I saw the cover to the classic Dave Brubeck Quartet album "Time Out" used as an example. To me, Brubeck's music, coupled with the album cover, coalesces the spirit of the time into one tangible object. Sure, the album itself isn't Tiki; But I think it does represent the roots which supported the Tiki craze. Without the high-brow under-pinnings at the time, Tiki might only have been a short-lived fad.

So, since my degree is in Graphic Design, Tiki Modern punches all my academic buttons. Plus, with its wonderful graphic design and layout, and its sturdy construction, the book is an art object itself. As such, I'm looking forward to the day when I can track down a mint copy of its sister book, The Book of Tiki. to replace my copy of Tiki Style.

On 2010-05-16 00:25, Baron von Tiki wrote:
Since I'm new to Tiki and only have a few items in my collection, I'll just list what I have:

Book: Tiki Modern by Sven Kirsten
Book: Tiki Style by Sven Kirsten
Martin Denny: Quiet Village/Enchanted Sea CD
A fistful of Capitol Records' "Ultra Lounge" CDs
Tiki Magazine subscription

Of these items, I'd say the essential one is Tiki Modern. Tiki Modern illustrates very well how Tiki and Witco fits into the Mid-Century zeitgeist and the aesthetic of the Modern art movement. I smiled when I saw the cover to the classic Dave Brubeck Quartet album "Time Out" used as an example. To me, Brubeck's music, coupled with the album cover, coalesces the spirit of the time into one tangible object. Sure, the album itself isn't Tiki; But I think it does represent the roots which supported the Tiki craze. Without the high-brow under-pinnings at the time, Tiki might only have been a short-lived fad.

So, since my degree is in Graphic Design, Tiki Modern punches all my academic buttons. Plus, with its wonderful graphic design and layout, and its sturdy construction, the book is an art object itself. As such, I'm looking forward to the day when I can track down a mint copy of its sister book, The Book of Tiki. to replace my copy of Tiki Style.

Great answer, Baron! Keep visiting Amazon.com for an opportunity to find a wandering copy of the Book of Tiki. This is where I found my copy!