Hawaii the 1910s

Legendary Surfers made me aware of the Wax Cylinder Preservation Project, which features many a hawaiian recording from back in the days.

Hawaiian Guitar cylinders

Ukulele cylinders

Xylophone cylinders

Marimba cylinders

Hawaii topic cylinders

while we’re at it:

Japanese cylinders

German cylinders

Guitar cylinders

And they sent this article right along, which describes the dawn of modern surfing in the islands, in the 1910s.

Wassermusik, Part V

I Belli di Waikiki

I Belli di Waikiki

Don Tiki at Wassermusik 08

Don Tiki at Wassermusik 08

Don Tiki

Don Tiki

Don Tiki

Don Tiki

I Belli di Waikiki must be one of the busiest acts in europe in the Hula-Rock’n’Roll field, o.k. there aren’t that many, but I heard they play a lot outside their native Italy. I always enjoy the good time music and fun presentation. It’s been a smart move to pick-up the fifties connection of Polynesia and Rock’n’Roll, as so many aging Rockabillys join the Tiki afficionados. I must say that I really dig their style and especially the sound of the steel guitar and the Dearmond/Bigsby Tele – he practically nails my ideal guitar sound with it! They had given some accomplished pin-striper a go on their ukulele and guitar, looks very neat.

Don Tiki – probably the best show this side of Esquivel in Vegas! Unfortunately my phone camera couldn’t capture the fury of the dancers, the drama of the performers or the wealth of customes and make up. It was the biggest crowd at Wassermusik so far – and I like to think they witnessed something to tell their grandchildren about.

Wassermusik, Part IV

Along with seeing and hearing Waitiki and Latin Lovers it was great meeting Virani, Jochen and Tanja Hirschfeld, Forbidden Paradise’ Hai Kai and Michael. It made me really happy to hear that the first part of Armchairtravelling in the World of Tiki DVD will be available later this year. I enjoyed seeing the work in progress on the big screen, especially interested how the pictures work with the music, I had the pleasure to record for it. It’s going to be a definitive must have for Tiki-philes. …once it’s actually available.

Latin Lovers (Berlin)

Latin Lovers (Berlin)

This band was opening the Tiki weekend at Wassermusik 08. The horn heavy line-up was proof to the theory that many ways lead to Exotica.

The Mayor of Exotica in sumo dress

The Mayor of Exotica in Sumo dress

He didn’t quite look as big wearing his stage suit. An Exotica flute heavy weight if there ever was one!

Waitiki at Wassermusik 08

Waitiki at Wassermusik 08

Accomplished performances by all musicians, beautiful arrangements and cheerful stage presence – it was a great experience seeing them. Thanks! Oh, and the birdcalls by Lopaka Colon – so great and all done while providing perfect groove in polyrythmic bongo-playing. Several people noted to me that we were listening actually to Augie Colon’s son. Playing again today with Don Tiki.

Did Ancient Polynesians Visit California?

Scholastic scientists ignore Thor Heyerdahl’s publications to the point of constant embarassment. For example the sewn plank canoe mentioned in this article is found along the way from the Pacific Northwest to Hawaii, Micronesia, Melanesia and New Zealand. These places surround a natural ocean route, described by Heyerdahl in the 1950s. Many ethnical and cultural evidences can be found of contact with pacific indians and polynesian people. And I would expect excactly that from people populating almost every significant island in the polynesian triangle. Why should they stop there? The Americas are hard to miss once you enter the Japan current. Remember Johnny Depp drifting out in a canoe at the end of Dead Man? If redwood lumber was taken to Hawaii by stream, why not canoes of coastal settlers? Maybe the occasional dead Northwestern indian’s canoe landed in Hawai’i front tip first – they would have regarded him a god! Hawaiki!

Did ancient Polynesians visit California? Maybe so. Scholars revive idea using linguistic ties, Indian headdress Keay Davidson, Chronicle Science Writer Monday, June 20, 2005 Scientists are taking a new look at an old and controversial idea: that ancient Polynesians sailed to Southern California a millennium before Christopher Columbus landed on the East Coast.Key new evidence comes from two directions. The first involves revised carbon-dating of an ancient ceremonial headdress used by Southern California’s Chumash Indians. The second involves research by two California scientists who suggest that a Chumash word for ‘sewn-plank canoe’ is derived from a Polynesian word for the wood used to construct the same boat.

Did ancient Polynesians visit California? Maybe so. / Scholars revive idea using linguistic ties, Indian headdress

Article on The “Last” Hukilau

An outsider’s view of the recent Hukilau at the Mai-Kai in Florida available online here.

Henford Lemoore posted his list of drinks mentioned in the article at Tiki Central:

  1. Shark bite
  2. Mara amu
  3. Planters punch
  4. Oh so deadly
  5. Cobra’s kiss
  6. Deep sea diver
  7. Rum julep
  8. Mutiny
  9. K o cooler
  10. Derby daiquiri
  11. Rum barrel
  12. Jet Pilot
  13. Black magic
  14. Mai Tai
  15. Bora bora
  16. Hukilau
  17. 151 swizzle
  18. Martinique Milk Punch
  19. Floritia daiquiri
  20. Mai kai swizzle
  21. Mai Kai special
  22. Malayan Mist
  23. Somoan Grog
  24. S.o.s.
  25. Russian roulette
  26. Hidden pearls
  27. Yeomans Grog
  28. Banana daiquiri
  29. Tahitian breeze
  30. Zulu #1