Don Beach, Father of Polynesian Pop

The first Tiki bar appeared in 1934, Don Beach (a.k.a. Don the Beachcomber, born Earnest Raymond Beaumont Gantt) opened a Polynesian themed reastraunt in Hollywood California. They served Cantonese cuisine and tropical rum punches with decor featuring tiki carvings, tiki masks, flaming torches, bamboo or rattan furniture, flower leis and brightly colored fabrics. It was Don's inclusion of authentic Polynesian Tiki carvings that ultimately separated him from the popular beach themed reastrauntes of the time. Don's restaurant started off in the popular beach theme, but when Don Beach decided to add real artifacts to his decor (such as diving masks, spears, and most importantly carved idols from Polynesia), his restaurant became different from all of the other island-themed establishments. Don selected rum as a base for his drinks, not only because it was what he found in his travels to a variety of islands but also because Don was an astute businessman and rum was the cheapest liquor. This was the first introduction of the tiki to the bar and it caught on, Don was soon running a chain of over a dozen restaurants.

Others, like Trader Vic, began to copy the Polynesian theme. When American soldiers returned from the South Pacific after World War II they brought back tiki artifacts, pictures, Hawaiian tattoos and tales of Polynesia. These soldiers led the way to the Polynesian themed reastrauntes and soon Tiki was in full boom. The ancient, scowling gods allowed tribal pleasures under their furrowed brows. Tiki nightclubs, tiki bars and tiki lounges began springing up in every American city. Some had huge budgets, featuring active volcanoes, hula dancers, giant tiki statues and waterfalls. The Mauna Loa, located in Detroit, cost $1.6 million to build in 1967 dollars. Tiki drinks, like Mai Tais and Zombies, where delivered with wild fan fare by "mystery women" or groups could drink with straws from scorpion bowls. Couples of the 50's and 60's would dress in their finest or through on a Hawaiian shirt and head out to escape reality for a night. American popular culture embraced the new tiki culture. Tiki's romanticized version of Polynesia spilled over into other aspects of life in America. It affected home décor, music, fine art, clothing and architecture. Polynesian music fused with jazz to form sounds like "jungle". In films Polynesian pop culture appeared in such forms as The Jaguar God and started a tribal genre that included films like Tarzan. In theatre tiki cultures effect could be felt in such hits as the musical South Pacific. Tiki popularity was hitting its zenith with Hawaii becoming a state, in 1959, and marked by some very bad Elvis movies. Tiki bars had moved into people's homes along with scowling Tiki gods. Attractions like Disney's Enchanted Tiki room where drawing thousands, Tiki had become a cultural powerhouse. So why were the tiki gods still angry?

End of the Golden Age: Tiki Dusk
By the early 1970's over exposure had began to make Tiki cliché or kitsch. Plastic hula dolls and mass production had caused a lameness to settle over the former savageness of the Tiki gods. The generation that had originally gone wild over Tiki culture had grown older. Even worse, younger Americans came to see tiki as an insensitive diversion from America's serious problems. Sitting around a vacation like nightclub while others fought in Vietnam struck a soar cord. The great age of Tiki had passed. All but a very few of the once plentifully and mighty Tiki bars turned into regular Chinese Restrauntes or simply closed their doors. Then, to ad insult to injury, disco nightclubs where spring up across America, poor tiki gods.

Rebirth of Tiki: Tiki Dawn II, Revenge of the Tiki Gods!
Starting in the late 1980's all things retro came back in vogue. Vintage clothing, cars and tiki, of course. A new generation had discovered the power of the savage tiki gods. Tiki's rebirth was more complex then that though. Older people from the original tiki boom got back into it and middle aged citizens became nostalgic for the tiki bars and tiki parties their parents had when they where young. Others believe that the postmodern movement has blurred the lines between eras, allowing people to grab ideas from any times or culture. A new crop of tiki carvers has arisen as well, more concerned about tiki history and meaning then what modern art critiques consider being proper fine art. Still others may just need an escape from the demands of our technologically advanced times, desiring to feel at on with mans inner tribal roots. Tiki seems to be an umbilical cord through time that often comes with rum. Whatever the reason though, tiki has returned. Artists are carving tiki statues, collectors are collecting and tiki bars are reopening in every major city. Some of the new tiki bars are as grand as the tiki lounges of old. A tiki bar in San Francisco even features thundershowers every twenty minutes and a band playing on a raft stage in the middle of a pool. Tiki is on the rise in America, Britain and indeed across the world. Yet, the Tiki Gods are still generally an angry lot. It seems their scowling disposition assures they will never be forgotten!