Styled after the famous Easter Island Moai, Fred is a blow-molded hollow plastic statue that you can fill with sand or water through a plugged hole in his back.

Standing just over 2 feet tall and weighing just 3 pounds, Fred is a lot easier to move around your yard or tiki bar than a stone or concrete version, that's for sure.

For more details visit Fred's product page.

We've just added 11 new categories, including Fijian Masks that contains 56 brand new masks. At the same lower price point of the Polynesian masks these Fijian masks finish off our mask collection with more unique designs. As well as the 8", 12" and 20" sizes that you are used to, Fijian masks also come in an impressive 40" size - and for around $70 that's a lot of mask for little money!

If you haven't visited the site in a while, please visit. We are very proud of our web site now with it's professional design and awesome search feature. Now you can type in whatever words you like, like pineapple or turtle and see pictures of all the products that match! This makes it super easy to find products that will fit your collection perfectly.

As always, don't hesitate to email or call us with any questions.

There are various types of Tiki Signs from simple Aloha Signs to the more detailed Vintage Hawaiiana Signs.  These signs are used for spaces that are meant to have a Tropical atmosphere. These places are usually Tiki bars, resorts, hotels and other places that have a laid-back and exotic atmosphere.  Tiki signs are also popular with shops and other places that promote the surfer lifestyle.

There are simple Tiki signs that feature only letters created to evoke a Polynesian or Hawaiian theme, while there are Tiki signs with Tiki deities incorporated in them.  The designs are as varied as the locations or spaces they are used in and as colorful and as meaningful as the Polynesian culture. With the number of styles and materials of Tiki Signs it is easy to find one that will match your design needs. 

Authentic Tiki signs are carved from different types of woods from bamboo to hard woods. The materials used and the design executed on the pieces depend on the purpose of the sign.  Aloha and Welcome signs are often carved in hardwood and decorated with Hawaiian symbols such as Hibiscus, aquatic life and other animals that are endemic in Hawaii and other Central Eastern Polynesian locations.  These signs often come in small sizes between 12 inches to 20 inches.  There are also big Signs carved and painted on hardwoods such as life-sized vintage surf board signs.

Bamboo Tiki Signs often feature simple designs because they are often used in Tiki Huts, Hotels and resorts where there are already plenty of décor and elements that depict the Tropics. These signs are just meant to communicate the name of the place, to mark restrooms and other spaces. But there are also Bamboo signs created with Tiki gods, such as Tiger Bamboo indoor sculptures that feature various facial expressions and hold various meanings.

Driftwood Tiki signs are fantastic sign boards carved or painted on drift woods. These Tiki signs are also perfect for surf shops, resorts and even homes because of the texture and grain of the wood.  Most Drift Wood Tiki Signs feature only letters or text to take advantage of the exquisite nature of the wood.   When you have a beautiful, stained drift wood,  there is often no need to add other design elements to the Tiki Sign.

Another beautiful Tiki Sign category is the Nautica Sign. Nautica Tiki Signs are often carved to resemble traditional Hawaiian Paddles used in kayaks and canoes. They are beautiful because they represent the nautical culture of Polynesian countries.  Kayaks and Canoes are often used in rituals and celebrations in Hawaiian and Polynesian cultures.

The Tiki is one of the most defining symbols of the Polynesian culture. It has been used for many centuries for a number of purposes including worship and marking boundaries of sacred sites. Today, Tiki sculptures remain popular among the Central Eastern Polynesian cultures. They are also growing in popularity outside of the aforementioned culture, as art and also as functional sculptures.

As art, Tiki sculptures are used to decorate living spaces and other areas. Good Tiki artists really put a lot of thought into the design and the process of creating wonderful Tiki Sculptures so the sculptures add both texture and warmth to the home. Tiki Sculptures can also be used for Luau parties, Hawaiian restaurants and Tiki Bars to enhance the ambiance of the place and to provide an authentic Polynesian experience.

There are also people who value Tiki Scupltures for the good fortune and blessings they provide. These sculptures are said to bring good fortune, long life, fertility, health, or safety depending on the Polynesian god depicted on the carving. Some Tiki sculptures may not depict a specific mana or good fortune but simply depict a Polynesian god. 

There are different kinds of Tiki sculptures available for collectors from Tiki Statues to Tiki Masks. One of the most popular Tiki art is the Tiki statue.  Tiki statues can be used to decorate indoor spaces and also gardens, patios and other outdoor areas.  The sizes of the Tiki statues range from 8 inches to over 12 feet!  With the range of designs and sizes, it is easy to find the right Tiki statue to meet your needs. 

When choosing a Tiki statue for your home or any other place, make sure to get authentic Tiki statues. Authentic Tiki statues are made of Acacia and other hard woods. This makes the Tiki durable; standing the test of time even when they are placed outdoors exposed to various elements such as rain and sun light.  They are also carved by real artists who understand the meanings of the facial expressions and symbols used in the Tiki culture.  These artists are able combine aesthetic value with symbolism and functionality.  These authentic Tiki statues require a lot of hard work to create because they are carved and not created using a mold. The whole process takes a lot of knowledge, patience and dedication.

Another thing you must remember when choosing Tiki statues is to make sure you understand the meanings of the designs so that you get the kind of statue that has a relevance in your life, this will make the statue even more important for you.

Our own "home made" design was good enough to get us going, but no-one here will mind me saying that it was never very pretty!

We'll be putting the finishing touches on the design by improving certain pages like the product pages over the next week, but hopefully you won't notice any problems. Please let us know if you do!

Ordering

How do I place an order online?

Ordering at Royal Tiki is easy and convenient! Simply select your favorite items, add them to your shopping cart and click "check out" for your order total. The final shipping and local tax will be shown on the order review page before you place the order.

Can I place orders by phone?

We accept phone orders toll-free at (800) 734-8952 . Our customer-care consultants are available 7 days a week 8AM to 9PM EST to answer your questions. We'd love to talk to you!

Can you put a "rush" on my order?

If you need your items before the normal processing and shipping time, please call customer service at (800) 734-8952 during regular business hours any day 8AM to 9PM EST. We will do everything we can to accommodate your request.

What are my payment options?

Orders can be placed online using Visa, MasterCard, or American Express. We do not take Discover, sorry. If you'd like to pay by check, your order must be placed by phone. After your order is placed, please send your check to:

ATTN: Customer Service Manager 
Ordering Processing/Check Order
Royal Tiki
922 Highway 81 East
Suite #130
McDonough, GA 30252

Please note that all orders by check or money order will be shipped upon receipt of payment.

Do you charge sales tax?

Sales tax will only be assessed for orders that are shipped within the state of Georgia (7%).

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Order Tracking & Updates

How do I check the status of my order?

You have several options for tracking your order:

• Use the tracking link in the email that we sent you when your order was shipped.
  
• Call us toll-free at (800) 734-8952 and we will be happy to update you.
  
• If your order is shipped directly from one of our vendors, please contact our customer-care department at (800) 734-8952 for tracking information. 

Will I get an email confirmation after I place my order?

Yes, you will immediately receive an email confirmation of your order.

How do I make changes or cancel my order?

You may make changes or cancel your order as long as the order has not been processed. We strongly suggest you speak with a customer-care representative as soon as possible with changes or cancellations so we can accommodate your request without any additional charges.

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Return Guarantee and Exchanges

What is your return and exchange policy?

We at Royal Tiki pride ourselves on carrying high-quality items, and we hope that you will be pleased with your order. When you receive your order, please inspect it carefully to verify that all items meet your expectations. If, for some reason, you are not satisfied with your purchase, please contact our customer-care consultants at (800) 734-8952 for a return authorization within 30 days of receipt of your order. All returns must be approved by our customer-care department.

Read our complete return policy.

How long before I receive my refund?

All refunds are processed upon inspection of items. Once your returned items have been processed, a credit should post to your credit card (minus any shipping and restocking fees you incurred on your original order) within 30 days.

Do you charge a restocking fee?

If the return is a result of a manufacturer error or a shipping error on our part you won't even have to pay the return shipping. If you wait more than 30 days or simply wish to return any items return shipping is your responsibility and a 10% restocking fee will be deducted from your refund to cover our costs. We hope you understand.

What if I received my order, but some items are damaged?

Please inspect all items carefully when you receive your order. If there's any damage, please call our customer-care department at (800) 734-8952 at your earliest convenience, but no later than 7 days after the package was delivered. A customer-care specialist will help you file a claim with UPS.

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Shipping

When will my order ship?

Our shipping model is easy to understand! Processing time (pulling and packaging your order) plus shipping time equals delivery time. Each order is processed within three-to-five business days.

To offer you the widest selection of high-quality and unique products, we use additional vendors for some of the items on our Web site.  Because shipping may vary depending on the vendor, please see "item details" for production times. Please note that, in some cases, you may receive multiple packages. 

Do you ship to Post Office Boxes?

Yes, we can ship to PO Boxes with USPS only. UPS and Fedex are required to have a physical address for delivery.

Do you ship to APO/FPO addresses?

Yes. However, we do not guarantee delivery times on these orders.

Do you ship internationally?

Please call us to discuss your order. We will get a shipping quote for you, no matter where you live.

How is shipping calculated?

Shipping is pre-calculated for all our products and is based on the weight and size of the items you selected and the shipping destination. Feel free to call us if you are ordering multiple items because we may be able to bundle some items and save on shipping costs.

What are your shipping options?

We work with USPS, UPS and FedEx and offer regular ground shipping and a variety of expedited options. Please call us toll-free at (800) 734-8952 with your order and we will quote you for expedited shipping.

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FAQ's

Do you have a printed catalog?

Unfortunately, we do not offer a printed catalog. You can view our entire collection online.

Do you have an affiliate marketing program?

Yes, for some of our products. Please contact us for more information.

What is your contact information for the press?

All press inquiries can be sent to through our contact page.

I am a vendor. How do I submit my products for consideration?

In our quest for unique products we welcome vendor enquiries. Please email us through our contact page.

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Privacy and Security Policy

Are online transactions on your site secure?

All the information you provide, including your credit card information, is secured using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption technology. We use SSL technology to prevent your information from being intercepted and read as it is transmitted over the Internet. We never store your credit card number.

How do you use my contact information?

We request your email address so that we can email you an order confirmation. We request your phone number to contact you in case we need to give you an order update or if the shipping company needs to contact you. Rest assured, we never rent or sell your contact information to anybody, for anything.

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Contact Us

If you have any questions and would like to speak with a Royal Tiki customer-care representative, you can contact us using phone, email or postal mail. Visit our contact page for details or call us toll-free at (800) 734-8952 7 days a week, 8am to 9pm EST.

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It's free to join of course, and easy to use. You'll find you can post pictures of your backyards, Tiki bars, even your vacation photos, chat about who makes the best Mai Tai or which Martin Denny track is your favorite.

You can even buy and sell related items from other members through our marketplace section.

Or you can just come, take a load off and chat with other members.

If you have any problems just drop us a line

Apparently, oceanside city officials aren't too happy about this "defacing of public property".

We just added two new products into our Indoor Tiki Statues category - both sets of our already popular Tikis.

Available in two sizes, 8" and 12" tall, these are hand-carved in Hawaii and made from Hibiscus. Super nice, well-detailed and sure to please anyone that you buy these for!

And of course, the sets are priced well below what you would pay individually.

Click on the image below to view our 12" set...

Many of the Tiki Masks are designed based on the four main gods. Kane is the god of sunlight, and natural life; Ku is the god of war; Lono is the god of peace, winds, rain, sports and fertility; Kanaloa is the god of the ocean. Each Tiki God holds a different meaning.

Tiki Masks are the perfect conversation pieces to add to any modern home. They are exquisite pieces that have intricate details, making them real works of art. They can also be used to add to the authentic feel of Luaus and other feasts. Tiki Masks are also used as decorative pieces in Hawaiian restaurants and Tiki Bars. Tiki Masks can be used both indoors and outdoors and they can mix beautifully even with modern art pieces.

Tiki Masks come in various sizes from 8 inches to over 5 feet tall. The complexity and sophistication of the designs do not depend on the size of the Tiki Masks. There are relatively smaller masks that contain magnificent details while there are big masks that feature simple designs. Hand-carved wooden Tiki sculptures are now evaluated and regarded on the same level as other forms of art and sculpture, with the benefit to their owners of being rich with meaning.

There is no questioning the amount of effort put into creating wonderful Tiki statues and Tiki Masks. Authentic Tiki Masks have well thought designs and are carved by expert Tiki artists who are able to combine meaning, function and aesthetic value. Each element in the sculpture adds meaning and value to the piece of art.

Authentic Tiki Masks are carved from hardwoods by expert craftsmen and then finished off with oil, wax or polish. There are also some Tiki Masks that feature color, but the most common design is the traditional stained hard wood sculpture. Because of the materials used and process that the Tiki Masks undergo during their creation, they can last a lifetime.

If you are planning on organizing a Luau or creating a permanent Tiki lounge in your home then it’s easy to order authentic Tiki sculptures online to match the tiki theme and the atmosphere you are creating for the party or the lounge. There are so many Tiki Masks to choose from. When choosing a Tiki Mask, choose one that will beautifully match your space and also consider the meanings of the masks so you can get one that will hold significance in your life.

There were many small changes that had a big effect on the site, but we'd like to highlight a few new pages that we have added.

• You'll notice a new section at the top of the menu on the left; Best Selling Tikis. We'll be adding to this section later, but for now you can easily find Tikis for under $50 and a complete list of Tiki statues and Totems in one place under Hand-carved Tikis
• People have asked us about how to care for their Tiki, so we've written a few articles to address this;
• Our Outdoor Tikis are *made* for outside use
• Tiki Care - How to take care of your Tiki Statues, Totems and Masks

As always, we are interested in your opinions more than anything - our site has to work for YOU, not us. So, if you have a minute please drop us an email or call us toll-free at (800) 734 8952.

Our super high quality statues and totems are hand-carved from Acacia wood, otherwise known by its Hawaiian name, Monkey Pod.

Acacia is a dense, naturally resinous hardwood which (by it's very nature) resists penetration by water and will not stain. It also naturally repels insects. Read more about Tiki care

Akua Kai 15" Tiki Statue in Stained Acacia Regular: $149 Our price: $98	Fertility Tiki 20" Statue - Natural Acacia Regular: $219 Our price: $159	Fertility Tiki Bishop Museum 20" - Stained Acacia Regular: $219 Our price: $159
Giant Tiki Kuka Ilimoku 9 Feet Statue Regular: $17,500 Our price: $14,500	God of King Kamahameha 16" Statue in Acacia Koa Regular: $189 Our price: $119	God of King Kamahameha - 48" Hand Carved Tiki Statue Regular: $1,599 Our price: $869
God of King Kamehameha 16" Tiki Statue - Stained Kuka'ilimoku Regular: $189 Our price: $119	God of King Kamehameha 39" Tiki Statue - Kuka'ilimoku Regular: $719 Our price: $499	God Of King Kamehameha 24" Tiki Statue - Kuka'ilimoku Regular: $459 Our price: $219
God Of King Kamehameha - 24" Stained - Kuka'ilimoku Regular: $459 Our price: $219	Hand Carved Tiki Akua 15" Statue Regular: $98 Our price: $98	Hand Carved Tiki Akua 20" Statue Regular: $209 Our price: $159
Hand Carved Tiki Akua 20" Statue in Stained Acacia Regular: $209 Our price: $159	Kanaloa Ocean 12" Tiki Statue Regular: $159 Our price: $98	Ku Tiki 12" Statue in Acacia Koa Regular: $159 Our price: $98
Large Tiki Akua Kai 8 Feet Statue Regular: $15,900 Our price: $12,500	Large Tiki Kanaloa 8 Feet Statue Regular: $15,900 Our price: $12,500	Large Tiki Ku 8 Feet Statue Regular: $15,900 Our price: $12,500
Pair of Stacked Tiki Ku, Kane, Kanaloa & Lono 39" Statues Regular: $1,319 Our price: $769	Stacked Tiki Ki & Kanaloa 26" Statue Regular: $249 Our price: $209	Stacked Tiki Ku & Kanaloa 51" Statue Regular: $639 Our price: $539
Stacked Tiki Ku & Kane 39" Statue in Natural Acacia Regular: $519 Our price: $379	Stacked Tiki Lono & Kanaloa 39" Statue in Natural Acacia Regular: $519 Our price: $379	Stacked Tiki Lono & Kanaloa 48" Statue in Natural Acacia Regular: $519 Our price: $489
Stacked Tiki Lono & Kanaloa 48" Statue in Stained Acacia Regular: $519 Our price: $489	Stained Tiki Ku 39" Statue Regular: $609 Our price: $539	Tiki Akua 39" Tiki Statue Regular: $1,099 Our price: $529
Tiki Akua 48 inch Tiki Statue Regular: $1,599 Our price: $859	Tiki Ku 24" Statie in Natural Acacia Regular: $269 Our price: $219	Tiki Ku 24" Statue in Stained Acacia Regular: $269 Our price: $219
Tiki Ku 39" Statue Regular: $609 Our price: $539	Tiki Ku 48" Statue in Natural Acacia Regular: $1,429 Our price: $869	Tiki Ku 48" Statue in Stained Acacia Regular: $1,429 Our price: $869
Tiki Kuka Temple Image 12" Statue in Acacia Koa Regular: $159 Our price: $98	Tiki Lono - 12" Acacia Koa Statue Regular: $159 Our price: $98	Tiki Lono Fisherman 4 Foot Tiki Statue Regular: $1,649 Our price: $769
Tiki Lono Monkey Pod 4 Foot Tiki Statue Regular: $1,649 Our price: $769	Walnut Tiki Akua 39" Statue Regular: $1,099 Our price: $529

Carved Tiki Totem 26" Ku Tiki in Natural Acacia Regular: $249 Our price: $209	Carved Tiki Totem 26" Love Tiki in Natural Acacia Regular: $249 Our price: $209	Carved Tiki Totem 26" Ocean Tiki in Natural Acacia Regular: $249 Our price: $209
Carved Tiki Totem 39" Love Tiki in Natural Acacia Regular: $359 Our price: $319	Carved Tiki Totem 63" Love Tiki in Natural Acacia Regular: $1,099 Our price: $759	Hawaiian Tiki Totem 20" - Love & Prosperity in Stained Acacia Regular: $169 Our price: $119
Kaena 47" Tiki Totem Regular: $339 Our price: $249	Kanaloa 38" Tiki Totem Regular: $499 Our price: $309	Kane 47" Tiki Totem Regular: $339 Our price: $259
Ku 47" Tiki Totem Regular: $339 Our price: $289	Ku 60" Tiki Totem Regular: $499 Our price: $359	Lanikai Tiki Totem 60" Love Tiki Regular: $439 Our price: $349
Lono 80" Tiki Totem Regular: $609 Our price: $439	Maori Tiki Totem 63" - Love & Prosperity in Natural Acacia Regular: $1,099 Our price: $859	Mask Totem 39" Regular: $289 Our price: $119
Pineapple Architectural Tiki Mask 61" Regular: $299 Our price: $189	Pohaku 47" Tiki Totem Regular: $339 Our price: $259	Primitive 51" Trader Vics 1960's Reproduction Regular: $659 Our price: $489
Tahitian Tiki Totem 20" - Love & Prosperity in Natural Acacia Regular: $169 Our price: $119	Tahitian Tiki Totem 48" - Love & Prosperity in Natural Acacia Regular: $1,099 Our price: $539	Tiki Totem 39" - Ocean & Strength in Stained Acacia Regular: $519 Our price: $379
Tiki Ku Totem 59" Regular: $369 Our price: $299	Tiki Totem 8 Feet of Iron Wood Regular: $2,900 Our price: $2,250	Tiki Totem 9 Feet of Iron Wood Regular: $2,900 Our price: $2,400
Tiki Totem 20" Regular: $92 Our price: $80	Tiki Totem 20" - Love & Prosperity in Natural Acacia Regular: $169 Our price: $119	Tiki Totem 20" - Love & Prosperity in Stained Acacia Regular: $169 Our price: $119
Tiki Totem 39" - Love & Prosperity Regular: $519 Our price: $379	Tiki Totem 39" - Love & Prosperity in Stained Acacia Regular: $599 Our price: $409	Tiki Totem 39" - Strength & Money Tiki Regular: $519 Our price: $379
Tiki Totem 39" with Maori Tongue in Natural Acacia Regular: $599 Our price: $419	Tiki Totem 63" - Kane & Lono Regular: $1,099 Our price: $859	Tiki Totem 63" Kane & Lono Dark Finish Regular: $1,099 Our price: $859
Tiki Totem 63" Love Tiki in Stained Acacia Regular: $1,099 Our price: $759	Triple Headed Tiki Totem 39" - Love, Health & Prosperity Regular: $519 Our price: $379	Tropical Tiki Totem 39" - Love & Health Regular: $519 Our price: $389
Ultimate Tiki Totem 60" - Love & Prosperity in Natural Acacia Regular: $1,099 Our price: $929

Tikis Under $50

We have many smaller Tikis and related products like Polynesian Tiki masks and Tiki decor priced under $50. Too many to list here on one page.

The quality is just as high as other Tikis in the store, but usually they are smaller versions.

Most signs are under $50, so we haven't listed all categories here. Click on any of the Tiki Signs categories on the left.

Tikis under $50

Oahu Tiki Totem 8" - Pineapple Tropical Accent Regular: $40.95 Our price: $27.95	Ocean 20" Tropical Tiki Mask - Wall Plaque Regular: $54 Our price: $40.95	Carved Money 12" Tiki Mask Regular: $30.95 Our price: $20.95
View All Indoor Tiki	View All Wall Plaques	View All Polynesian Masks

Signs under $50

Aloha 40" Drift Wood Sign Regular: $61 Our price: $47.95	"Gone Surfing" Shark Attack Sign Regular: $47.95 Our price: $34.95	Island Pineapple 24" Hanger Regular: $54 Our price: $41.95
View All Drift Wood Signs	View All Surf Signs	View All Wall Hangers

Recognize the guy at the top of the first tiki totem? He's sitting on the beach on the second tat - and he's also in our logo!

I've always been a fan of old-style pinups - pinup girls as drawn back before the WWII - so the second tattoo incorporates both.

You can also see my love for hibiscus. I love its shape and association with Hawaiian Tiki culture but most of all I love the bright colors - it's not well shown here, but the bright orange stamen is very cool (orange is my favorite tattoo ink).

If you're looking for inspiration for a tiki tattoo, go straight to the real thing - checkout our Indoor Tikis or the larger Tiki Totems and Tiki Statues. I've shown a few below.

Indoor Tiki

Big Kahuna 12" Tiki Sculpture - Brown Finish Regular: $29.95 Our price: $20.95	Big Kahuna 16" Tiki Sculpture - Brown Finish Regular: $43.95 Our price: $30.95	Big Kahuna 19" Tiki Sculpture - Brown Finish Regular: $58 Our price: $39.95

Tiki Totems

Carved Tiki Totem 26" Ku Tiki in Natural Acacia Regular: $249 Our price: $209	Carved Tiki Totem 26" Love Tiki in Natural Acacia Regular: $249 Our price: $209	Carved Tiki Totem 26" Ocean Tiki in Natural Acacia Regular: $249 Our price: $209

Tiki Statues

Akua Kai 15" Tiki Statue in Stained Acacia Regular: $149 Our price: $98	Fertility Tiki 20" Statue - Natural Acacia Regular: $219 Our price: $159	Fertility Tiki Bishop Museum 20" - Stained Acacia Regular: $219 Our price: $159

Constant outdoor use can be very hard on wooden statues and totems - if they are not made from the right wood.

That's why all our best quality Tiki Statues and Totems are hand-carved from Acacia wood, otherwise known by its Hawaiian name, Monkey Pod.

Acacia is a dense, naturally resinous hardwood which is perfect for outdoor use and (by it's very nature)..

• ..resists penetration by water and will not stain
• ..naturally repels insects!

Beautifully hand-carved by our craftsmen on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu we have nearly one hundred and twenty Hawaiian-made Outdoor Tiki statues and totems.

Here is a sample of our Outdoor Tiki Statues:

Akua Kai 15" Tiki Statue in Stained Acacia Regular: $149 Our price: $98	Fertility Tiki 20" Statue - Natural Acacia Regular: $219 Our price: $159	Fertility Tiki Bishop Museum 20" - Stained Acacia Regular: $219 Our price: $159

Here is a sample of our Outdoor Tiki Totems:

Carved Tiki Totem 26" Ku Tiki in Natural Acacia Regular: $249 Our price: $209	Carved Tiki Totem 26" Love Tiki in Natural Acacia Regular: $249 Our price: $209	Carved Tiki Totem 26" Ocean Tiki in Natural Acacia Regular: $249 Our price: $209

The Parrot Heads of the Triad, a not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to assist in the community to work together for social, charitable, and educational purposes, have made a commitment to help Camp Carefree.

We will be raising money to help support Camp Carefree on July 26, 2008, from 2:00 - 8:00 PM at our annual fundraising event called "Slice of Island Life".  This event will be held at Big Dawg's Saloon, 755 Indeneer Drive, Kernersville, NC 27284.

Camp Carefree, located in Stokesdale, NC is a no-profit 501C(3)organization with the sole purpose of providing a free, one week camping experience for youngsters from our own community and neighboring states with specific health problems and disabilities. The program also includes camps for well siblings or chronically ill or disabled children and a week for those with disabled or seriously ill parent. Camp Carefree relies solely on community support and private donations.

I  enjoyed reading about your take on common Sushi and Tiki in The Way In Which Tiki Is Like Sushi - I kinda agree, but from my point of view it is very hard to be a seller of Tiki, even if Hawaiian-made and hard-carved, without feeling a little guilty.

With the plastic, sea-side souvenir-shop "tiki" it's easy to be critical - but when selling online no-one gets to see the guys out there carving the Tiki statues or totems. All you see is a website, and websites are..well it's hard to give a website "soul".

Maybe it's more possible with a personal blog - perhaps soul is another way of saying "personality" in this case - but websites selling Tiki as a business (yeah, not as a hobby) don't long survive if they give the impression of a "fun guy making Tiki".

Perhaps you are saying that there is no place for selling Tiki online, and that Tiki should remain a rare mystery for most people, only bought from remote villages. But I doubt that you're saying that. :) 

Regardless, I'm going to keep trying to spread the Tiki word - and sell some cool stuff along the way. At least I can sleep easy knowing that there's no plastic or balsa wood "tiki" on my site. Hey, couldn't resist replying to this, keep up the good writing.

P.S. TikiSushi.com is still available..great domain if I could think of a use for it!

It's the anniversary of Iz's death today. Israel "Iz" Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole died 11 years ago but his music lives on.

You can't listen to the big guy singing with his ukulele without smiling and wishing you were back on the beach on O'ahu.

I was just watching 50 First Dates again last night and had forgotten that his famous Over the rainbow / What a wonderful world song was featured at the end. I've never seen a video of him singing it, but there's a good compilation featuring this song on YouTube.

Wikipedia has more links on Bruddah Iz.

Aloha pumehana.

"The Sophisticated Misfit is a breezy hour-long tribute to lowbrow artist Josh Agle, better known as Shag, that's sure to please his fans. Composed of interviews with Agle in his Southern Californian mid-20th-century-modern ranch-style home filled with Polynesian pop décor, testimonials from his aloha-attired fans and collectors, interviews with his wife, parents and art school teacher, and plenty of his iconic lowbrow graphic art, The Sophisticated Misfit packs enough material to pleasantly fill its short runtime."

Our guy is an Eastern Fence Lizard, apparently they like to live in tree stumps :)

Taking photos of him wasn't easy (he kept running away) but eventually I got some.

With the flash on in the last photo he really became clear. Sorry if I dazzled you though, Mr lizard.