The Islands of the Fraternal Order of Moai

Are you the tiki guy/gal/couple amongst your friends or are all your friends into tiki?

To put it another way: does being into tiki make you unique or is it something you have in common with your friends?

Well, I have a lot of friends (practically family) in the FOM so that answers that!

Even my non-FOM friends are into tiki, but at work and amongst work friends, I’m definitely unique!

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We have met lots of new friends as a result of tiki that is for sure!


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My non-tiki friends aren't into tiki... (does that make sense?) Obviously the ones we've met through tiki are into tiki! But the ones we have made other ways aren't, for the most part.

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A toast to my friends Roger, Rob, and Rugby Matt. Aloha au iā ‘oe.

Some are. Some aren't. That's what's great about life. We all have different interests and can learn from each other.

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It's always fun introducing tiki to people who are unfamiliar with tiki. Some end up really getting into it; some not so much--but it's rare in my experience to introduce tiki to anyone who doesn't think it's fun, whether just the one time or more.

Outside of my tiki friends, I have some friends that dabble in tiki. They'll have fun at tiki bars, and enjoy the drinks, atmosphere, and aloha spirit, quite a bunch. But that's about it. They don't want to collect mugs, wear floral printed clothing, etc. And that's fine. I have other friends who want to do more tiki stuff, but they're currently in the midst of raising children, so don't have the time / monies to do tiki stuff too often.

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Poop jokes are always funny.

I'm definitely the outlier here. People are aware of Hawai'i, and tropical romanticism, but Exotica music is not at all known, and the cocktail culture here is a new arrival. My GF has really taken to these things, even to the point that on occasion I come home and there is Exotica blasting away! In Mexico there is already lots of tropicalness, so people don't really need it as a mental destination in the same way that, say, it comes in super handy in January in Boston, New York, Chicago, etc.

I have a couple of achievements that have taken things in the Tiki direction though, one was a cocktail event I did here last June, where I explained the history of the cocktails and the evolution of Tiki as a subculture, how it took form in architecture, clothing styles, food and cocktails, and music, and it went over really well! My other achievement is that while I was director of one of the big bands at the Jazz school, I would have them wear either a guayabera, which qualifies as a dress shirt here, or a Hawaiian or tropical shirt. Many opted for the tropical shirt, as I would usually wear an Aloha shirt. That fashion statement still lives on!! Subliminal Tiki conversion. We may have a Mexican chapter yet!!

Cool man! Hey, does anyone in Mexico ever talk about tiki subculture being cultural appropriation?

People here don't generally talk about cultural appropriation. There are so many cultures here, people seem pretty open to sharing, and no one has that kind of cultural confusion that might generate an idea like cultural appropriation. The big thing here is rather people coming to grips with the fact that 550+ years ago, the cultures were subjugated by a colonizing force. That really caused a collective trauma from which people are sort of starting to recover, which takes the form of rejection of colonialism in all its shapes and forms, except the Catholic church. But the idea of appropriating someone else's culture hasn't made it yet. To make a short story long.

Wow! That's really interesting insight. Thanks for sharing.

Local friends - zilch. They know what it is because of us, but none have ever caught the tropical itch.

Most of our local friends came into our lives through the music/bar scene -- riptide having always been in a band and me spending many, many years slingin' the drinks. And the couple-dom survival rate there is sadly pretty low. Then, the couples with kids moved on to hang out with other couples with kids, mostly.

In fact, when Di and V-a-n-c-e were in town for new year's we had a little party. Riptide asked which of my girlfriends were coming. And I said Kekona and Di -- who were driving in from other states. Because now, after all these years in the FOM -- my best ladies don't live anywhere near me. Wah!

(wah, because I miss you hot mamas - not because you couldn't come drink my bargain champagne)

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I feel this so hard!

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A toast to my friends Roger, Rob, and Rugby Matt. Aloha au iā ‘oe.

Tiki is for bad magicians and grifters.
Rum is for people that are too insecure to appreciate a good Coors Light.
Hawaiian shirts make you ass look fat.

Vote Tiki Vee for Matato'a.

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We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold.

FOM MC
President
Viva El Scroties!

Not too many “tiki” people, but a good number of friends into cocktails and such. Probably will eventually get some conversion out of that group.

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We don't really have any friends in the Bryan/College Station area that are into Tiki. We have a few that are learning about it due to our home Tiki bar.

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“Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the Bible says love your enemy.” – Frank Sinatra

I've made lots of friends through the FOM (duh) as well as NETT, Ohana and surf shows. Of the friends who I learned are coincidentally tiki-curious, all are vintage scooter people. I've gotten a few good friends majorly into tiki - one took to the cocktails in a big way, and the other two are into the decor, and currently tikifying their poolhouse.

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I dig the whole mod scooter scene. I keep telling my girlfriend I'm going to get a fishtail parka and she just rolls her eyes.

Some are, some aren’t. Introducing new friends to tiki drinks / bars usually depends on the person. Are they a booze snob? Go for pours of funky rums. Do they appreciate cocktails? Mai tai and zombies!

Do they hate fun? Find new friends?


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I seriously need to move off of Long Island.
Aside from 80% of it being The Jersey Shore North, it's a Polynesian Pop wasteland.
In any given 10 mile radius, there are 20 pizza places, 15 delis, 43 bagel stores, 12 storage units, 56 irish Bar, 211 Sports Bars, at least 5 places that rent UHauls and exactly zero Tiki Bars and no Tiki scene whatsoever.

We have about 9 guys and 3 women that make up the entirety of the hot rod / rockabilly scene and that's about as close as it gets.

All my tiki friends are through FOM.

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Proud sponsor of FOM style hyperbole and wisecracks.
Setting the standard for over the top style.


We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold.

FOM MC
President
Viva El Scroties!