Tiki
Culture, Statues, Idols, Gods and Decor!
Tiki mugs originated from mid-century
American Tiki Bars or they sprang
from lagoons (as seen above).
Tiki Mugs
Tiki mugs are based (some times very loosely) on décor and art from Polynesia. The primitive carvings often called Tiki's found throughout the Polynesian triangle became the major source for Tiki mugs form. Carved bowls featuring Tiki gods were found through out native Polynesian populations. (Bowls were usually used for drinking from instead of mugs). A ceremonial wooden tiki bowl was given to Captain Cook by the Hawaiians as a gift upon his rediscovery of the island. The ancient Hawaiians used these ceremonial tiki bowls for drinking Awe, a narcotic drink of the Kahunas. The handles on such tiki vessels would be decorated with carved images of tiki gods such as Ku, the god of war and Lono another chief Tiki god. The chiefs of the
warrior tribes of Asia traditionally
used the skulls of chiefs as drinking mugs, however, ancient Hawaiian
chiefs held a warrior tradition of using rival chiefs skulls as chamber
pots.
Tiki Mugs in Polynesian Pop Culture
Modern Tiki mugs developed in the high times of the original golden age
of Tiki (c.1930-1974). As Tiki bars, tiki lounges and tiki rooms competed
for the tiki market a great amount of gravity was put on their tropical
drinks and drink presentation. The flames of creativity were stoked. Typically
rum based drinks were served in tiki mugs, often mixed with tropical fruit
juices and extravagantly garnished. Tiki mug garnishments could include
fruit, fresh mint and paper umbrellas. Tiki drinks were served with great
fan fare, often delivered with an elaborate ritual by a "mystery
girl" in full hula regalia. Other Tiki drinks featured flaming concoctions
or with a mist pouring forth from the glass. Tiki drinks usually featured
wild sounding names as well, Pele's Bucket of Fire, Sidewinder's Fang,
Molucca Fireball, Tonga Surfrider, and the Aku-Aku Lapu. (However, not
all bars showed imagination; many saw fit to name their specialty simply
The Mystery Drink.) Tiki mugs featured the faces of tiki gods, figures
such as hula dancers, coconut styles and more. As tiki culture diversified
artists allowed themselves a wide range of styles, the common ground being
that tiki mugs should be exotic.
Tiki lounges, bars and rooms stockpile large supplies of variously styled tiki mugs. Tiki bar proprietors fill rooms with ceramic sculls, barrels, pineapples, and Easter Island heads. Each designated for a specific drink. For example a deep-six was always drank from a ceramic water buffalo horn.
Tiki Mug Construction
Tiki mugs are usually ceramic and made through a method of slipcasting
in a plaster mould. Tiki mugs are then allowed to dry to a leather hardness
called greenware before being placed in the kiln. Glaze can be added to
Tiki mugs for coloration during the heating process.
Tiki mugs are divided into the following categories:
· OMC Mug
· Orchids of Hawaii Mug
· Westwood Mug
· Daga Mug
· Tepco Mug
· Frankoma Mug
· Desert Ceramics Mug
· Trader Vic's Mug
· Bucket Mug
· Coconut Mug
· Decanter
· Fu Manchu
· Hula Girl or Wahine Mug
· Moai Mug (Easter Island Head)
· Hawaiian Ku or Lono Mug
· Maori Mug
· Marquesan Mug
· Rarotongan Mug
· Orientalia Mug
· Pineapple Mug
· Rum Barrel Mug
· Scorpion or Hula Girl Bowl
· Skull Mug
· Monkey Mug
· Surfer Mug
· Tiki Mug*
· Volcano Bowl
· Volcano Insert
· Shot
· Glassware (Glass tumblers, stemware, etc.)
· Other Bowl
· Other Mug
(*The highly popular all-white figural Benihana-style drink glasses for
exotic cocktails
are also commonly referred to as "tiki mugs," but true tiki
collectors dispute this claim.)
List source: wikipedia
Contact
Us |
©2007 QuesTiki.com