Tiki Masks are carved wooden masks that represent deities or gods from the Hawaiian and Polynesian Culture. They are used as home decor and they also serve various purposes such as warding off evil spirits and increasing the owners fertility!
What are tiki masks and how are they made?
Although they are called “masks” and were sometimes meant to protect and empower wearers, traditional Tiki masks were less frequently worn on the body than displayed as statues or decor in the home or the community. How Are Tiki Masks Made? Every tiki mask is hand-carved from wood, and no two masks are exactly alike.
What does a Tiki Man represent?
Tiki masks and statues are used extensively in beach-themed restaurants to lend a Polynesian atmosphere. In Hawaii and other Pacific island cultures, however, the tiki is a representation of ancestor worship and part of their history. The Original Tiki Man.
What is the significance of the Maori Tiki statues?
Skilled artisans of the Maori tribe created Tiki statues that represented the Tiki gods in Hawaiian and Polynesian mythology. The Tiki statues were carved to symbolize the importance of a particular mythical deity. Tiki statues were placed by Maori tribe members to mark the boundaries of sacred grounds.
What is Tiki in Polynesian culture?
In most Polynesian cultures, "tiki" or a similar word is the name of the first man--not human--who then creates the first human being out of mud or blood. Tiki, the man, is also associated with the god Tane's penis, making him very much a creator.
What does a tiki mask symbolize?
Tiki statues were carved to represent the image of a certain god and as an embodiment of that specific god's mana, or power. With well-formed tikis, perhaps the people could attain protection from harm, strengthen their power in times of war and be blessed with successful crops.
What is the origin of the tiki mask?
Tiki masks originated with the Maori tribe, the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand.
What do tikis mean?
: a wood or stone image of a Polynesian supernatural power.
What do Tiki eyes mean?
This stems from the belief that tiki could smell dangers even before seeing them. These traits are so representative of the tiki that they are often used independently. An eye, an ear, the mouth, a hand. They sometimes appear in traditional designs to represent a deity, a demigod or a human with special habilities.
What does the New Zealand Tiki represent?
The Hei Tiki represents the human form and one's ancestors. Traditionally passed from parent to child or used for protection and good luck. It links the past, present and future.
Does Tiki mean god?
Tiki definition (person, proper) In Polynesian mythology, the first man, or the god who creates him.
What is another word for Tiki?
In this page you can discover 3 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for tiki, like: bongo, hula and mai-tai.
Are tikis Hawaiian?
Tiki are also called Ki'i in Hawaiian. The word 'Tiki' originates from New Zealand's Maori tradition. Tikis can be traced back to ancient Polynesian culture, which explains their influence on the Hawaiian mainland. According to Maori customs and traditions, Tiki represents the first human being on earth.
What does a smiling Tiki mean?
Smile Love and HappinessThe Meaning of the Tiki Expressions Expression. Meaning. Smile. Love and Happiness. Eyes Down.
What are Tiki Masks?
Tiki masks are hand-carved wooden masks that, in their original intent, were used to stand in for deities, protect their users from evil spirits or even increase the mask wearers’ fertility and luck.
What is the history behind tiki masks?
You may think of tiki masks as a charming way to add a tropical flair to your home’s décor, but these carved wooden masks actually have a long, rich history in Polynesian culture. They are used for many purposes, from ancestor worship to guarding and protecting the borders of homes and temples.
When did tiki masks become popular?
Tiki masks have obviously been in existence for thousands of years, but they only achieved popularity in the west in the 1930s and 1940s.
Do you need to know when buying a tiki mask from Tiki Shack?
You should know when purchasing a tiki mask from Tiki Shack Importer that you will be receiving one that has had much care and attention put into it. No matter which one you select!
Did all tiki masks represent gods?
Contrary to popular belief, not all tiki masks represented gods in the Polynesian and Hawaiian cultures. Some did, though they also served as a valuable form of folk art and artistic expression.
How are Tiki Masks Created?
They are hand-carved, so you know that the artist's true vision is being painstakingly created. They're typically carved from very strong hardwood, and finished with a mixture of waxes, finishes and oils to provide a sturdy, lacquered look and feel.
What is a tiki mask made of?
They're typically carved from very strong hardwood, and finished with a mixture of waxes, finishes and oils to provide a sturdy, lacquered look and feel. When purchasing a tiki mask from KTC Hawaiian you can be rest assured that you will be receiving one that has had much care and attention put into it.
When did tiki masks become popular?
Tiki masks have obviously been in existence for thousands of years, but they only achieved popularity in the west in the 1940s and 1930s. Many savvy entrepreneurs of the time used them to decorate their restaurants and bars to lend them a South Pacific, Polynesian décor, while many sailors returning from war in the Pacific brought home tiki masks as souvenirs.
What is KTC Hawaiian?
Aloha! KTC Hawaiian is all about sharing the Aloha Spirit. We hope you'll do the same. With over 3000 fun, unique and authentic Hawaiian items, we deliver Hawaii to you!
Where are tiki masks used?
Tiki masks are still used in restaurant and bar decor, but in Hawaii and other Polynesian cultures they are also treated seriously. Each Tiki mask is modelled after a different aspect or power the artist wants to capture (for example, the Strong Man). Many artists name their tiki after these aspects.
Why are tiki masks used in restaurants?
Tiki masks and statues are used extensively in beach-themed restaurants to lend a Polynesian atmosphere. In Hawaii and other Pacific island cultures, however, the tiki is a representation of ancestor worship and part of their history.
When did the Tiki masks start to be popular?
In the 1930s, Don the Beachcomber and others started decorating restaurants and bars with Polynesian themes. Tiki masks, easy to hang on the wall, became a common central decorating point. Soldiers and sailors coming back from Hawaii and other Pacific posts in the 1940s turned this trend into a craze.
Why do people carve tiki statues?
Polynesian folk artists often carve tiki statues and masks to honour Tiki and capture his power. These statues are often used to mark, and perhaps magically protect, the borders of temples and sacred sites.
What are the four tiki gods?
The Four Major Tiki Gods. Ancient Hawaii was a mythic land full of tiki-masked warriors as well as unique and interesting gods and legends. Here you'll learn about the top four Hawaiian tiki gods. Awesome Tiki Statues. Ku – Ancient Tiki God of War. Ku was the husband of the goddess Hina, suggesting a complementary dualism as the word ku in ...
What did Kumu Honua create?
He created the sky, earth and upper heaven and gave Kumu-Honua the garden. He owned a tiny seashell that, when placed on the ocean's waves, turned into a huge sailboat. The user of the boat had merely to state his destination and the boat took him there.
What is a tiki?
By extension, a tiki is a large or small wooden or stone carving in humanoid form , although this is a somewhat archaic usage in the Māori language. Carvings similar to tikis and coming to represent deified ancestors are found in most Polynesian cultures.
What is the Tiki culture?
Tiki culture, a 20th-century decorative style used in Polynesian-themed restaurants. Taotao, similar carvings of ancestral and nature spirits in the Philippine islands. Totem pole, artworks similar in shape and purpose from Cascadian cultures. Chemamull, Mapuche statues.
What are the names of the tiki?
John White names several Tiki or perhaps manifestations of Tiki in Māori tradition: 1 Tiki-tohua, the progenitor of birds 2 Tiki-kapakapa, the progenitor of fish and of a bird, the tui 3 Tiki-auaha, the progenitor of humanity 4 Tiki-whakaeaea, the progenitor of the kūmara.
What is the entrance to Avaiki called?
The entrance to Avaiki (the underworld) is called ‘the chasm of Tiki’. According to Easter Island (Rapa Nui) legend, Hotu Matu'a, the first chief brought along a moʻai (other traditional sources mention two) symbolizing ancestors, which became the model for the large moʻai. Dr.
Where is the tiki statue?
Hawaiian kiʻi at Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park. Tiki statuette from the Marquesas. In Māori mythology, Tiki is the first man created by either Tūmatauenga or Tāne. He found the first woman, Marikoriko, in a pond; she seduced him and he became the father of Hine-kau-ataata.
Where does the word "tiki" come from?
The word appears as tiki in New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Tuamotuan, and Marquesan; as tiʻi in Tahitian, and as kiʻi in Hawaiian. The word has not been recorded from the languages of Western Polynesia or in the Rapa Nui language.
Who made the Tiki Tohua egg?
^ In this story, Tiki-tohua was an egg produced by Hine-ahu-one, a woman made by Tāne to be his wife. This egg gave rise to all the birds.
Why do people use tiki statues?
Now Tiki statues are used as fun decorations. Many restaurants and bars have Tiki statues as decorations to help enhance the atmosphere of their establishment. When people throw Hawaiian themed parties they will buy décor that has Tiki statues.
Why are tiki statues important?
The Tiki statues were carved to symbolize the importance of a particular mythical deity. Tiki statues were placed by Maori tribe members to mark the boundaries of sacred grounds. The statues were given the name of Tiki from the Maori name for the first human male.
Who Invented Authentic Tiki Statues?
The Maori tribe that inhabited the Hawaiian islands until the 1800s are the creators of the original Tiki statues. Skilled artisans of the Maori tribe created Tiki statues that represented the Tiki gods in Hawaiian and Polynesian mythology. The Tiki statues were carved to symbolize the importance of a particular mythical deity. Tiki statues were placed by Maori tribe members to mark the boundaries of sacred grounds. The statues were given the name of Tiki from the Maori name for the first human male.
What religion was the Tiki statue?
For years Tiki statues depicted the four Gods mentioned above. Christian missionaries were successful in making Christianity the dominant religion of the Hawaiian society in the 1800s. As Christianity spread the Tiki statues the historical significance of the Tiki statues diminished and they became mainly decorative.
What is the meaning of the tiki statue?
The name of the statues is derived from the Maori name for the first human male, though the statues most often represent deities. With the introduction of missionaries into Hawaiian society in the early 1800s, Christianity became the dominant religion. Tiki statues have since lost much of their original meaning aside from their historical ...
Why are tiki statues important?
A close-up of a Maori wood carving. Tiki statues were originally carved by members of the Maori tribe as boundary markers for sacred grounds. The name of the statues is derived from the Maori name for the first human male, though the statues most often represent deities.
Where are tiki statues found?
Image Credit: SPrada/iStock/Getty Images. Hawaiian Tiki statues represent the many Tiki gods in Hawaiian and Polynesian mythology. They are carved from wood or stone and are most common in Central Eastern Polynesia. The original Tiki statues were carved by skilled artisans in the Maori tribe, which inhabited the islands until the early 1800s.
When did tiki statues become popular?
Image Credit: Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images. Tiki statues became popularized in Western culture in the 1930s with the opening of several Tiki-themed restaurants on the West Coast. This appropriation by popular culture created the opportunity for great aesthetic variance in the appearance of Tiki statues.
Who made the tiki statues?
The original Tiki statues were carved by skilled artisans in the Maori tribe, which inhabited the islands until the early 1800s. The statues each have a distinct look that relates to the symbolic meaning and mythological importance of a particular deity. Advertisement.
Where is the Ki'i statue located?
The statue rests at the entrance of a recreated Maori village.