History of Tiki Culture

The tiki culture began in the 1930s, lasted through the '60s, and is making a comeback in present times. But how did this relaxed lifestyle come into play? This article explains the origins and how Americans easily embraced this phenomenon.

Meet the father of American Tiki culture

Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gantt was a moneyless man who came to L.A. after traveling to exotic tropical locales, particularly in the South Pacific. He became a sort of expert on the South Pacific with his knowledge and collected artifacts. His information was so valuable that he became a technical adviser to ensure accuracy on Hollywood's South Pacific themed sets. He opened the first tiki bar in 1931, Don the Beachcomber, and it (and him) became popular very fast. He moved to a bigger location and legally changed his name to Donn Beach. After he was injured in WWII, he opened another bar in Waikiki Beach, Hawaii and watched that burst with popularity. He died happy in 1989 at the age of 81, having seen his passion explode to life.

Other influences

Besides Donn Beach, there were others who influenced the rise of tiki culture. Victor Jules Bergeron (of Trader Vic's fame) also helped the influence of tiki bars and restaurants with his South Pacific themed restaurants. There were more popular South Pacific themed movies, music was being infused with Latin and Polynesian rhythms, and WWII service men were coming home with more tales of the South Pacific. When Hawaii became a state, the tiki phenomenon exploded even further in the 1950s and '60s. Tiki bars and decor decorated the homes of most Americans, and most guys proudly donned Aloha shirts. The tiki culture faded in the 1970's and '80s, but is making a comeback in present days.

In short, the tiki lifestyle was a popular cultural phenomenon that Americans readily embraced and returned to.