Sep 14 2026
In his essay of the “Cultures of Tiki,” Scott Lukas noted that in modern presentations of Tiki cultures that had little to do with Tiki of the past like the soft surf culture and the former car culture. These are now becoming a part of the Tiki culture. This is particularly true of surf music, …
May 04 2026
Born on this day, May 4, 1937, Dick Dale did more than provide a soundtrack for surfers. He helped change what an electric guitar was expected to sound like. Born Richard Anthony Monsour in Boston, Dale brought together influences that did not normally occupy the same corner of American popular music in the early 1960s. …
Nov 11 2025
For millions of radio listeners who had never crossed the Pacific, Webley Edwards made Hawaiʻi audible. His weekly broadcasts carried steel guitars, ukuleles, vocal harmonies, hula songs, and the sound of the surf from Waikīkī into homes thousands of miles away. At the height of its popularity, Hawaii Calls reached audiences around the world and …
Apr 10 2025
Bird calls, croaking frogs, shimmering vibraphones, bongos, gongs, piano, and mysterious percussion from around the world: few musicians captured the fantasy of mid-century tropical escapism quite like Martin Denny. Born in New York City on April 10, 1911, Denny became the musician most closely associated with exotica, the curious and enormously atmospheric style of instrumental …
Aug 22 2024
No Alcohol Needed! Tiki Bars are immediately associated with drinks containing alcohol, but truth be told, it’s the container and the fruit that makes a Tiki drink, Tiki. When Tiki bars are done correctly, the atmosphere is like something straight out of the Pacific islands and the escape to the land of enchantment can last …
Jul 08 2024
We are used to the words “totem pole” to mean those long poles with carved figures on them. Usually we see totem poles with wings from birds or other animals. But in the Pacific islands, these pole structures are called Tiki poles or Tiki totem poles. Tiki totem poles from the islands of the Pacific …
Jun 26 2024
Before you hang a Tiki mask in your home, you might want want to learn more about the history of Tiki masks and the chosen mask for your house in particular. With the correct Tiki mask, you might invoke a blessing or serenity, or yikes, fertility! Deciding whether to decorate with a Tiki mask …
Jun 18 2024
When my sister went to Hawaii years ago, she brought me back a small Tiki wooden carving. The perfect gift from Hawaii, I thought. Every time I look at this carving, I think of Hawaii and the island culture. Of course I also think of my sister! Tiki statues, the totem poles, masks and all …
Jun 08 2023
I want a Tiki Dress! They are so colorful and lovely. Back in the 1950s Women’s dresses had two main shapes. They were full circle skirts and very narrow pencil shape dresses. The big difference between the standard dress in the 50s and the Tiki style was the material and the colors. Tropical print fabrics …
May 20 2023
A koto begins to shimmer beneath a wall of brass. Bamboo flutes weave around trumpets and trombones. Japanese drums meet the polished swing of a Hollywood studio orchestra, while familiar American standards suddenly seem to occupy a musical world halfway between Tokyo, Los Angeles, a nightclub, and somebody’s highly imaginative idea of the Far East. …
