Once Upon a Time in St. Louis...

Once upon a time, in the land of St. Louis Missouri, there were places known as Tiki Bars and Restaurants with names like Trader Vics and The Polynesian Village.  These were magical places where people in middle America could be instantly transported to Polynesia – from Hawaii to the Marianas to New Zealand to Easter Island.

The music was exotic, the drinks were infused with rum, tropical juices, spices and flavors.  To walk into one of these establishments was to walk into a magical land of wonder and enchantment complete with beautiful hula dancers and carved statues.

Sometime in the early 1970s, when polyester ruled the world, this kinder and gentler world was lost.  Disco was born and the world became a darker place.

But now it is time for rebirth.  Like so many other places in the United States and around the world, TIki Culture is making a comeback.  The old things are new again and we can once again be transported to those exotic lands of enchantment and wonder.

We invite you to join in on the fun!

The Good Old Days

in 1963, Disneyland opened "The Enchanted Tiki Room" in "Adventure Land." Next to it was "The Tahitian Terrace" which was a Polynesian themed restaurant complete with Hula dancers.  The Tiki Room remains while The Tahitian Terrace was closed in 1993. Now in its place, there is some sort of Aladdin themed kiosk for your kids to get their pictures taken. 

We still have dreams of the Tahitian Terrace reappearing someday. There is a swanky and popular Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel called "Trader Sams" and a cafeteria style restaurant called "The Tongaroa Terrace."

This is an old "Concept Painting" of Disney's Adventure Land that adorns the wall of Kahuna Kraig and Polynesia Paula's swinging pad.

Why Tiki?

Why Tiki? 

It is one of those things that unless you have been to a tropical Island with soft trade winds and pleasant company, it is hard to describe. That feeling of Aloha, that is wishing the whole world peace and joy is central. The tropical fruits, the Luau with the Polynesian dancers, playing the Ukulele, the romance of times past.

In part, it is about being nostalgic for the times of our youth and the times when our parents were young adults listening to Arthur Lyman and Martin Denny when times were more simple, the rum was strong and a man could light up a cigar in public without scandalizing everyone within a 100 yard radius.

To me, Tiki represents a kind and gentle rebellion against a culture of oppression.

At times, tiki manifests itself in dark art, representing those forbidden things that we just don't talk about, with virgins being offered to volcanoes and the like. Yet it is all done in fun with a tongue in cheek irony.

In short, Tiki culture is an escape from an over regulated, over PC, over sensitive culture and is about freedom, fun, love and Aloha.

With Much Aloha
Kahuna Kraig