Losing legends

As time passes we are gradually losing the luminaries that were around during the heyday of tiki. Has anyone tried to organize interviewing some of these folks before they're gone? Like the gentlemen that run Oceanic Arts?

I'd like to see some AMAs similar to what they have on reddit. Everyone posts questions and the respondent takes an hour or so to go through and answer the best ones. Is there anyone here with some connections who might want to try and organize something like this?

TikiTacky: Your name might be tacky, but your posts are not! I really appreciate your level of interest in the history of original Tiki culture, there a far and few between in today's Tiki scene that dig deeper like that. I think this is a grand idea. Today's documentary style is forced to be so quick and brief in its interviews that the coverage has to stay superficial. Long term documentation would really be a whole nother thing. I am too busy with other projects, but I support any and all efforts in that direction.

What is needed is a book about Oceanic Arts. The history, stories and the stories of Bob & LeRoy. There must be a drawer full of pictures somewhere. Its a book that I would purchase.

This has me thinking of a velvet artist named David Voss who I think is still alive and living in Honolulu. Years ago BigBro and Tikinews did a piece on him and I looked him up on my next visit to the islands. I met him at the fence of the Honolulu zoo where he was selling his wares. He talked quite a bit about his relationship with Donn Beach and how Donn wanted his paintings in his restaurants instead of Leetegs as those were so expensive to insure. Apparently Mr.Voss endeared himself to Mr.Beach by doing a painting of Donn's wife. This is what he told me. Anyways, I guess there are a precious few of these folks left but like the WWII generation they won't be for much longer.

Jeff and I talked to Bill Sapp and did an interview with him that was
in Tiki mag.
I don't know why but they chopped it way down lots of good stuff was not put in that
article.
Have the long version here somewhere but it's Jeff's really.
Also talked to Bill many other times as well myself.
Sat down with Mr. Sapp at the first Hot Rod Hula Hop and heard tons of stuff.

Plus Jeff and I did an interview with the son of Hoffman pottery after I found him.

Also went on some interviews with Greg and Melissa for their book on the
Kahiki, heck if I had a dollar for every person who's going to write a book on the
Kahiki, well I guess I could build another Kahiki.
Heck who knows what they are doing with all the info they got.

Been telling people to do this for years.

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2013-08-16 19:05 ]

Oh and here is some great stuff on Herman Leitwein.
My wife and I went to meet him at his house.
I remember he had this dog that drug this dead mangled animal
up to us while we were talking out by his pond.
But my Kahiki thread has LOTS of stories about the people that made Kahiki.

I love digging up the old info for all to see.
One guy even did a seminar on the Ohio tiki back in the day with TONS of my photos.
Would have been nice to get at least a shout out for using my photos.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=18136&forum=5&start=135

I wish I had the money/time. All the old timers from Mai-Kai history are disappearing. Would love to visit them and tape interviews. Heck, I mostly wish I could get to Hawaii to meet a Tiki legend and his wife. The file cabinets full of documents and pics from his days with DtB and working at DtB and Mai-Kai are making me crazy!

All it takes is money and time...

don't worry, kids... i'm still here and i'm gonna be around for a long time.....

On 2013-08-16 19:18, tikiskip wrote:
One guy even did a seminar on the Ohio tiki back in the day with TONS of my photos.

Is the seminar or notes to it available anywhere?

Obituaries are very upsetting to me. Often they are difficult to read, because you find out how interesting this person is and you have questions and you'd like to learn from them and hear more about their lives---and you can't. I detest obituaries. I think of them as missed opportunities.

We've had our share of missed opportunities in the world of tiki, but also many wonderful connections with those of the past. And sadly, thinking back to so many of our friends who are gone---Sonny at Hala Kahiki, George Nakashima, Anne at La Mariana, Mr. Chin ... well, the list goes on too long. Kind of like the "closed" icons on Critiki.

I wonder if we can use this thread as a way to make others aware of old timers who are still out there so we can catch them while we can. We need to make the effort. Thinking back, our earliest interviews were conducted with lo-fi magnetic tape, maybe a film photo or two. That really wasn't very long ago, so it's amazing to think of the technology that we have available now. It's easy to do interviews now with excellent quality video and audio. But we can't wait too long or put it off, that's the trick. At least we know we'll have Tipsy around for a while.

"At least we know we'll have Tipsy around for a while'
Two thumbs up.:)

And part of the stuff from the seminar will be in.... wait for it.
A book about the Kahiki.

Funny you should mention this. Just the other day, had a meeting about developing a TV show on this very topic. While the direction has yet to be determined, considering all aspect, history, art and artisans, music, life style, culture.

Currently looking for more information/links on all aspects of this world. If you can share any... greatly appreciated.

On 2013-08-16 12:20, bigbrotiki wrote:
TikiTacky: Your name might be tacky, but your posts are not! I really appreciate your level of interest in the history of original Tiki culture, there a far and few between in today's Tiki scene that dig deeper like that. I think this is a grand idea. Today's documentary style is forced to be so quick and brief in its interviews that the coverage has to stay superficial. Long term documentation would really be a whole nother thing. I am too busy with other projects, but I support any and all efforts in that direction.

Funny you should mention this. Just the other day, had a meeting about developing a TV show on this very topic. While the direction has yet to be determined, considering all aspect, history, art and artisans, music, life style, culture.

Currently looking for more information/links on all aspects of this world. If you can share any... greatly appreciated.

On 2013-08-16 12:20, bigbrotiki wrote:
TikiTacky: Your name might be tacky, but your posts are not! I really appreciate your level of interest in the history of original Tiki culture, there a far and few between in today's Tiki scene that dig deeper like that. I think this is a grand idea. Today's documentary style is forced to be so quick and brief in its interviews that the coverage has to stay superficial. Long term documentation would really be a whole nother thing. I am too busy with other projects, but I support any and all efforts in that direction.

I wrote a long-ish article about Bob and LeRoy years ago for Tiki Magazine. I videotaped the interview because I saw what you're seeing. Must document! Must document! Although, if I were thinking of doing this project you're talking about, I'd conduct another (current) interview with them and videotape it again, since now there are good, relatively inexpensive hi-def cameras, and Bob and LeRoy will probably make you a Mai Tai while you're there. There are few things more wonderful than drinking a Mai Tai at Oceanic Arts with those fascinating gentlemen!