History of the Tiki

In early Hawaii, it was the custom of its people to celebrate auspicious occasions with a feast. Whether it was the birth of a child, a victorious war, a successful harvest or the completion of a new home or canoe, the Hawaiians took time to honor their many Gods and to share their bounty with friends and family.

Called aha-aina (gathering for a meal) in ancient times, the term luau came into favor much later, and refers to the yours edible taro leaves that traditionally were used to wrap the food prior to being placed in the underground oven (imuu).

When the kapu system was abolished in 1819, women and men were able to not only eat together, but to share the same food. Until that time, port, banana, coconut and several species of fish were forbidden to women. Hence, the ancient feast that was so much a part of the Hawaiian culture became a treasured famish custom to play a significant part of island life.

Today's luaus are still a celebration of life. A time to share traditional foods, enjoy songs and dances of early Hawaii and to give thanks to our family, friends and, guests from other cultures.

Tiki culture in the United States began in 1934, when Donn Beach, a.k.a. Don the Beachcomber, opened a Polynesian-themed eatery in Hollywood that served Cantonese cuisine and exotic rum punches with decor featuring flaming torches, rattan furniture, flower leis and brightly colored fabrics. Three years later[1], Victor Bergeron, better known as Trader Vic, adopted a Tiki theme for his restaurant in Oakland, which grew to become a worldwide chain.

Several years later American soldiers returned home from World War II, bringing with them stories and souvenirs from the South Pacific. Americans fell in love with their romanticized version of an exotic culture, and Polynesian design began to infuse every aspect of the country's visual aesthetic, from home accessories to architecture. Soon came integration of the idea into music by artists like Les Baxter, Arthur Lyman, and Martin Denny, who blended the Tiki idea through jazz augmented with Polynesian, Asian and Latin instruments and "tropical" themes creating the Exotica genre. This music blended the elements of Afro-Cuban rhythms, unusual instrumentations, environmental sounds, and lush romantic themes from Hollywood movies, topped off with evocative titles like "Jaguar God", into a cultural hybrid native to nowhere.

There were two primary strains of this kind of exotica: Jungle and Tiki. Jungle exotica was definitely a Hollywood creation, with its roots in Tarzan movies and further back, to William Henry Hudson's novel Green Mansions. Les Baxter was the king of jungle exotica, and spawned a host of imitators while opening the doors for a few more genuine articles such as Chaino, Thurston Knudson, and Guy Warren.

Tiki exotica was introduced with Martin Denny's Waikiki nightclub combo cum jungle noises cover of Baxter's Quiet Village. Tiki rode a wave of popularity in the late 1950s and early 1960s marked by the entrance of Hawaii as the 50th state in 1959 and the introduction of Tiki hut cocktail bars and restaurants around the continental United States.

Tiki exotica is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, and Tiki mugs and torches that once collected dust in thrift stores are now hot items, largely because of their camp value. Thank you for reading info. at Tiki Bar Central.

More information and complete articles can be found  at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiki_culture

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