Tiki History For all Tiki Lovers

Tikimaster.com would like to share a bit of tiki history with all of its tiki lovers!

Tiki culture refers to a mid-20th-century theme used in Polynesian-style restaurants and clubs originally in the United States and then, to a lesser degree, around the world. The connection to Tiki, a character in the mythology of portions of the South Pacific, is tenuous at best, but tikis are still crazy popular! Tiki culture in the United States began in 1934 with the opening of Don the Beachcomber, a Polynesian-themed tiki bar and restaurant in Hollywood. The proprietor was Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gantt, a young man from Louisiana who had sailed throughout the South Pacific; later he legally changed his name to Donn Beach. His tiki restaurant featured Cantonese cuisine and exotic rum punches, with a decor of flaming torches, rattan furniture, flower leis, brightly colored fabrics and tiki decor. Three years later, Victor Bergeron, better known as Trader Vic, adopted a Tiki theme for his restaurant in Oakland, which eventually grew to become a worldwide chain featuring tiki mugs.

Hawaiian Statehood further drove interest in the tiki phenonmenon and Americans fell in love with their romanticized version of an exotic tiki culture. Polynesian design began to infuse every aspect of the country's visual aesthetic, from home accessories to architecture, thus, tikis are just as popular today.

For all of your tiki needs and to learn more about all kinds of tiki, tiki masks, and tiki decor, visit the worlds greatest tiki website, tikimaster.com.