Favorite Things: Tiki

One of my favorite things, Disney or otherwise, is Tiki culture. Maybe it's the Adventureland connection (my favorite land) or just the cool, mid-century retro vibe, but my wife and I love it so much we've done one whole room of our house as a 1960s-style mod' Tiki room.

A signature piece in that room is this "big fig" of Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland. It's a perfect replica of the thatched hut at the entrance to that park's Adventureland, complete with a cobblestone-paved garden and the Tiki pre-show totems (Maui, Rongo, Tangaroa, etc.). Some of the totems even have little moving parts, and the entire building can be illuminated from within.

Elsewhere in the room sits this piece, a full-scale replica of the original Enchanted Tiki Room Barker Bird, Juan. Juan was once perched above the entrance to the attraction to talk to passersby and give them an idea of the sort of show they would find inside. This, of course, at a time in the early-'60s when Audio-Animatronics technology was new and guests bought separate tickets for each attraction experience.

Juan ultimately had to fly the coop, since he caused so many traffic jams with people stopping to watch him and blocking the entrance to Adventureland. This resin sculpture, plussed with a real bow tie and collar and artificial tail feathers, was produced several years ago by artists Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily. Kevin and Jody have created some fabulous pieces over the years, including replicas of items from Disneyland's past that could only appeal to the mostdiehard fans. To have a look at some recent work, visit Kevin's blog at this link.

Another favorite in our Tiki room is this limited edition 9" Vinylmation figure. It's really fun, with representations of Jose and Tangaroa on the front. Around back, it's "Here come the girls!" along with the Tiki drummers and mystical fountain. (I wonder what happened to Rosita?)