Tiki statues often attacked the
ancient Hawaiian cliffs

Australia). These sculptures appeared on mortar and pestles and as freestanding figures (The ancestors of Tikis!). The tops of many pestles had images frequently depictiong birds or human heads. Mortars showed imagination in their geometric patterns. The original meaning of these creations is debatable, but they are usually assumed to have had religious significance.

Oceanic pacific tiki artist began to vary widely between different groups in the vast expanses of the pacific. Typically, tikis had supernatural themes concerning fertility, ancestors and gods. (Tiki Gods!) In general the island groups from the Eastern side of Oceana (Polynesians) tended to create works that had more longevity and those in the west tended to create works that where more elaborately decorated.

Origins: Tikis from Micronesia and Melanesia
In Micronesia (the islands North of the Melanesia) and Melanesia the traditions of the lapita culture. In Micronesia wood carving by men flourished, including sculptured figures. These creations where done in a streamlined manner (simple manner) but they wher finished to a high standard of quality.

In Melanesia, comprising New Guinea and the surrounding islands and mostly people by first wave settlers (with some of the second wave) has perhaps the most striking art of Oceana. Its style is typically highly decorative, colorful and portrays exaggerated forms, often of sexual themes. It is mostly made in connection with ancestors, hunting and cannibalism. However few examples have servied because they were generally created for rituals and did not last after they had served their purpose.

Polynesia was, like Micronesia, was settled by peoples that stretch back to the Lapita cultural tradition. However, compared to Micronesia, Polynesia was settled at a relatively later date. Around 1600–1200 BC, anestral Polynesians started expanding from New Guinea as far East as Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. During this time the aspects of the Polynesian culture developed, especially on the islands of Samoa and Tonga. Around 300 BC this new Polynesian people spread from Samoa and Tonga to the Cook Islands, Tahiti, the Tuamotus and the Marquesas Islands. Finaly reaching Easter Island (c. 300 A.D.), Hawaii (c.400 AD) and New Zeland (1000 AD). All this at a time when European salers rarely left the sight of shore.

The Polynesian tiki artists where the main inspiration behind modern tiki statues and eventually tiki culture. The extremely vast area of Polynesia produced wide variety of art, but in general Polynesian sculptures were more durable and less colorful. The giant tiki heads of Easter Island are an example of this, there stern features gazing out over the Pacific. In Hawaii, tiki god carvings were considered holy. Chiefs and kahunas were the only ones with the right to own various tiki idols.

Such was the state of tiki until a fateful day when confused European explores ventured around the southern tip of South America... the story continues with modern tiki history.