Tiki and the Polynesian Style

Tiki culture in the United States began when American soldiers returned home from World War II, bringing with them stories and souvenirs from exotic, far-off lands. Further inspired by the art and rhythms of Australia, Micronesia, and Melanesia, the tiki movement gained momentum in the 1930s with the opening of “Don the Beachcomber”, a Polynesian-themed bar and restaurant in Hollywood, and thereafter with the release of “South Pacific”, a 1949 musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

For a time, homes across America burst with oceanic art, bamboo furnishings, and dark rum mai tai mix, but as with any trend, the tiki obsession waxed and eventually waned with the changing world. Gone were the Hawaiian-print shirts and fancy drink umbrellas of the 1960s, as America simply moved on. Or did it?

The tiki culture continues to spread, albeit somewhat underground, poking its head out of the sand from every corner of the world and even consuming entire towns for its annual sacrifices, er, umm, events. Tiki Oasis, held in August in San Diego, brings together the nostalgia-prone for a weekend of sun and fun—and that’s where you’ll find David, amidst the bands, collectors, surfers, carvers, drinkers, and artists.

David paints on driftwood, surfboards, flasks, and other strange surfaces with 1 Shot enamels in an attempt to harness the camp and color inherent of the tiki culture. He also carves cannibal, Easter Island moai, and Frankenstein characters out of palm logs, adding quirky details and non-traditional symbols in order to make truly unique pieces of work.

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