Palm Frond Hats

I haven't seen this discussion on TC, just wanted to throw it out there:
Palm frond hats, tiki or not?

I found this one recently, marked "Hawaii 1967" (not sure if that's true, or how someone could tell), but it still seems to be part of the tourist trade in Polynesian (and Caribbean) at least judging by the you tube and how to videos.
Coming from a beach movie/castaways angle I say tiki.

A good question, and not an easy one to answer. To understand the answer, one needs to have the ability to differentiate, and not expect a black & white solution. To define something, one has to delineate its boundaries, and separate it from what it is not. MY definition of Tiki Style as a pop culture, the main reason why it is special, unique and funny to me, is

A.) That it is a pop culture REMOVED from the source: A mainland invention/interpretation of what the Polynesian/South Seas islands should look like. To make that clear, I kept 97% of the Book of Tiki free of Island/Hawaiian pop culture. Hawaiian tourist culture, "Hawaiiana", as endearing as it is, is not a singular phenomenon: Lots of other countries have had a very varied and active tourist industry that created many many souvenirs, fashion accouterments, and paper ephemera like brochures, postcards, and posters.
This theory of mine is supported by the fact that the main creators of the style, Don The Beachcomber and Trader Vic, and later Stephen Crane, created their versions of Polynesian pop on the mainland first, and after that moved these to the islands.
It is also supported by the following:

B.) That the main sign of Tiki style is the Tiki figure, and that the Tiki was, compared to the mainland, used very sparingly in the islands, and not artistically stylized as often, out of respect for the religion of the native. It really only became the icon of Polynesian pop in mainland USA.

So the simple answer would be that the hat, being a tourist culture item, is not "Tiki". But it would be absurd for me to say (as some folks have interpreted me wrongly) that Polynesian tourist items are no PART of Tiki culture on the mainland, of course they played a role in it. So the hat is fine to wear or decorate your home hut with. The islands WERE the main inspiration for Americans to build their own islands at home, they are just not IT by themselves, meaning American Tiki culture.

OR ,when you do make it down to KEY WEST,you can go to the salt ponds across from SMATHERS BEACH ,and find the homeless,(rugged outdoors men), who live there, in the bushes making them to sell down on Duval St. later that night.along with all kinds of Palm Prong Products. They have quite a thriving little cottage industry going on there.

"Pets are welcome,Children 'MUST' be on leash" TD

[ Edited by: TIKI DAVID 2010-05-24 10:56 ]

The palm frond or "beachcomber" style hats are definitely part of mainland tiki culture, no doubt about that.

My father always wore his beachcomber hat when throwing or attending backyard luau parties during the fifties and sixties. I wish I owned his original hat, but it was lost long ago.

I own four tiki-era palm frond hats that I've accumulated in the last three years -
all thrift store found. They're all higher quality than the common cheapies normally found at Party City etc. I always wear one to tiki events.

Wear your hat proudly! Dig it. G

On 2010-05-24 08:59, Pittsburgh pauly wrote:
I haven't seen this discussion on TC, just wanted to throw it out there:
Palm frond hats, tiki or not?

I found this one recently, marked "Hawaii 1967" (not sure if that's true, or how someone could tell), but it still seems to be part of the tourist trade in Polynesian (and Caribbean) at least judging by the you tube and how to videos.
Coming from a beach movie/castaways angle I say tiki.

short answer, VERY TIKI.
BUT way too green to be made in '67

Way cool!!
I say tiki.
Just don't paint the dam thing PINK!!!!
And G man you gotta show your hats!
In fact this should be the hat thread.
Here's mine I love it.
Got it from Jerry the bum (His words) in Aruba.
He would not let me buy him a drink, I think the hotel was the reason.
As in they told him you can sell the hats here but don't drink here.
I had to get twine and a head form to get that shape.
Had to keep the sides pulled up and the front and back pulled down till all dried.

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2010-05-26 19:26 ]

To premise again, I do believe one can accept this fine hat as PART of Tiki culture, there is a difference. I always ask myself this: Before the term Tiki came so much into use in the 2000s, what was this item called? In this case Palm hat, Castaway hat, Beachcomber hat, perhaps? That would still be more appropriate. And I prefer to reserve my judgement of something being VERY Tiki for things that are well, clearly and unquestionably Tiki.

I am merely being weary of generically applying "Tiki" to all things that have to do with Hawaii, beach, and that "Island Lifestyle", to hear Tiki-this and Tiki-that being used for everything from the tropics nowadays. We very quickly move into Jimmy Buffet territory that way. Not that hat though, as I said. That is Gilligan/Surfer/Beachnik territory. :)

Not dising you Bigbro.
You are a professor type, and that's cool.
My deffinition is close to yours as it is.
But then I got an Old Crow advert in my tiki bar.
Me, I'm all about cool old stuff.
Tiki not tiki, just don't paint it pink!
I do see your point though.

And the last photo shows Jerrys signature, I made him sign it!
He then told me he was well known for his work, Don't know if that was true or not.
But always sign your work! (Even if you are a bum in Aruba)
Here's to you Jerry!!

*A.) That it is a pop culture REMOVED from the source: A mainland invention/interpretation of what the Polynesian/South Seas islands should look like. To make that clear, I kept 97% of the Book of Tiki free of Island/Hawaiian pop culture. Hawaiian tourist culture, "Hawaiiana", as endearing as it is, is not a singular phenomenon: Lots of other countries have had a very varied and active tourist industry that created many many souvenirs, fashion accouterments, and paper ephemera like brochures, postcards, and posters.
This theory of mine is supported by the fact that the main creators of the style, Don The Beachcomber and Trader Vic, and later Stephen Crane, created their versions of Polynesian pop on the mainland first, and after that moved these to the islands.
It is also supported by the following:

B.) That the main sign of Tiki style is the Tiki figure, and that the Tiki was, compared to the mainland, used very sparingly in the islands, and not artistically stylized as often, out of respect for the religion of the native. It really only became the icon of Polynesian pop in mainland USA.

So the simple answer would be that the hat, being a tourist culture item, is not "Tiki". But it would be absurd for me to say (as some folks have interpreted me wrongly) that Polynesian tourist items are no PART of Tiki culture on the mainland, of course they played a role in it. So the hat is fine to wear or decorate your home hut with. The islands WERE the main inspiration for Americans to build their own islands at home, they are just not IT by themselves, meaning American Tiki culture.* -bigbrotiki-

Possibly your best explanation yet.

What sort of hats do people wear at Tiki Oasis?

More specifically- the women!

[ Edited by: amybean 2010-06-28 14:55 ]

Doh! I did some home work- looked at flickr set, and am pretty sure I only saw one woman wearing a hat. It was cloth, and matched her outfit. (lovely, btw) Interesting!

I think I'm surprised that there are not more Panama hats floating around. Very stylish and practical, if a little expensive

Some nice photos and details here:
http://www.brentblack.com/

What do you all think about the hats?

That's definitely a Gotta Have.

I opted for a custom straw hat. Will post pix later today.