Havaiki Oceanic & Tribal Art – Hanalei, HI

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Tiki Sites and Stores and tagged with Hanalei, Havaiki, Havaiki Oceanic & Tribal Art, hawaii, Kauai, Tiki Stores, Tikis, Travel September 14, 2012

In Hawaii, where cheap souvenir tikis can be found everywhere, Havaiki is a diamond in the rough. This Hanalei gallery, named after the legendary homeland of Polynesians, specializes in traditional art from the Oceania region and points beyond.

In 2002, Jim Punter and his wife, Vicki, left their home on the Virgin Islands and for five years sailed around the South Pacific, buying and trading for art directly with villagers. Their goal was to open a gallery on Kauai, which is overseen by Dylan Thomas, a native of South Africa who was first mate on that epic voyage. He’s a delight to talk with (especially with that accent!) and a wealth of information about the collection.

Some visitors compare browsing in the store to like being in a museum. I especially like the little room decorated like a hut with a bamboo and thatch entrance.

A wide array of items are for sale, including carved tikis of various sizes, war clubs, shields, masks, paddles, walking sticks and tapa cloth, plus handcrafted jewelry. They also have an online store and a Facebook page where they post photos of the latest acquisitions.

Dylan continues to make trips to the South Pacific to stock up on artifacts, but a growing part of the gallery’s wares come from local artists in Hawaii. In fact I’m quite sure that these tikis were made by the carver I saw over at the Westin Princeville.

A lot of work and care has been put into curating the selection, which is something to account for when looking at the prices. There are some budget buys among the big-ticket items, though.

If you find the island weather too humid and your shorts too constricting, you can purchase your own koteka, hand-woven from natural fibers by the Asmat people in Papua New Guinea. Just tie one of these “penis gourds” around your waist and you’re ready to go…or you could just display it in your house.

One of my favorite pieces was this modern reproduction of a Dayak Kliau (shield) from East Kalimantan, Borneo. The description says it would have been used against blowpipe attacks and the “curvilinear designs convey fierceness and preservation of vital energies.”

Havaiki Oceanic & Tribal Art is located among the stores in the Hanalei Center, conveniently just down the street from the Tahiti Nui tiki bar. The shop is not immediately visible from the highway — it’s in a cottage-like building behind Bubba’s Burgers. You should see a couple tikis mounted on tall poles signaling you’re headed in the right direction.

Havaiki Oceanic & Tribal Art
5-5161 Kuhio Hwy. (Hanalei Center)
Hanalei, Kauai, HI 96714
808-826-7606

Enchanted Tiki Drawings – Disneyland Park Icons Sketches

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Other Tiki Topics and tagged with Disney, Disneyland, Enchanted Tiki Room, Tiki September 6, 2012

I’ve mentioned a few times before how much I like the Disney Gallery on Disneyland’s Main Street. There’s always something neat there, from special merchandise by Shag or Kevin Kidney & Jody Daily to artist showcases from Mary Blair. (Rumor has it the next exhibition will feature The Enchanted Tiki Room!)

Sometimes there are artists working on-site in a little studio as part of the Artist Sketch Program. Guests can peek over their shoulders as they draw at the drafting desk, which is located on the right once you pass through the gift shop.

I was told that they had recently started offering a new set of designs featuring “Park Icons,” including this colorful one of Jose from The Enchanted Tiki Room. On the ledge there is a sketch program catalog where you can see examples of the other dozens of images the artists can draw for you. The Jose cartoon is listed at $35, and the prices go up from there depending on the design.

Giveaway – Win a 1961 Hawaiian Islanders XL T-shirt!

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Other Tiki Topics and tagged with baseball, Contest, Giveaway, hawaii August 28, 2012

Hello, loyal Tiki Chick readers! It is the famed(?) Mr. Baseball here. I’m excited to be guest blogging for the lovely Tiki Chick. Why would she turn over a blog to someone who doesn’t even know the ingredients of a simple Mai Tai — there’s rum in there, right? Simple: I have a gift for you! No, it’s not a limited edition Tiki Farm mug or even a Bamboo Ben shelf (look at me, talkin’ the talk!). You see, I enjoy classic baseball history — and not just because my team hasn’t won anything since 1908. I wear old-school stirrups when I play ball and wear vintage logos and designs when out in public. Catch me at the next tiki event that my lady drags — uh, I mean “brings” me to and you’ll probably see me checking box scores on my phone while wearing my 1914 Cubs hat.

Long story short, I ordered a 1961 Hawaiian Islanders t-shirt to go along with my collection.

It’s not only an awesome logo for a forgotten minor league affiliate, but also somewhat tiki related! (The Tiki Chick says it’s Hawaiiana.) Unfortunately for me, I ordered the wrong size. It’s an XL, which due to my oddly small framed, yet 6’2 body, t-shirt Large and XL sizes sometimes run too big or too small. This one runs big. After a shipping/returns mixup, they told me to keep the shirt. Freakin’ sweet! I then offered it to The Tiki Chick as a prize for one of her readers.

So here’s the contest: Come up with a clever name for a new Hawaiian baseball team.

Or, if creativity isn’t your thing, tell The Tiki Chick that you are big and tall and that you would like the XL Hawaiian Islanders shirt. If you’re lucky, I’ll even throw in a baseball card of me, Mr. Baseball, in action! It captures what I do best: Struggling through a Cubs fantasy camp while trying to relive my glorious athletic youth with a bad shoulder and poor eating habits. Collect all…one!

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment and we will choose the winner randomly after Tuesday, September 4. (Readers that submit Hawaiian baseball team names will be assigned an extra entry in the giveaway for incentive.)

Good Luck and Mahalo!

NOTE: If you love baseball too, check out other vintage shirts, uniforms and various other throwbacks at http://www.ebbets.com. Those people are amazing at what they do, and they have a ton of cool stuff.