Hand in Hand with Tiki Talk

A love of all things tiki is once again roaring back into the public consciousness, although for many of us it never left. Within Disney’s world we have long loved The Enchanted Tiki Room and the Polynesian Village Resort, and the addition of Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel and Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto at the Polynesian have only added to the fervor. Disneyland, however, has one thing that Walt Disney World doesn’t education around the tiki gods.

That’s right, we can find carved representations scattered around the Polynesian and a pair welcoming us to The Enchanted Tiki Room, but who are they and what they represent has always been elusive for guests at Walt Disney World. Meanwhile, Disneyland has done an excellent job of utilizing their Enchanted Tiki Room’s lanai as a place to not only showcase the tiki gods, but also tell us who they are. Their stories are told both in audio and by playful plaques next to each tiki idol, the text of which came from none other than Marty Sklar. Today, to help out our Florida friends, let’s explore the Disneyland lanai and share the story of the tikis!

KORO (The Midnight Dancer)

In the moonlight he loved to dance

Natives who watched fell into a trance

Then under his spell all ladies and men

Learned to dance to the tropic top ten

MAUI (Who Roped the Playful Sun)

Through his special mystic powers

He made the sun keep regular hours

Maui tells us time to go

Time for wondrous tiki show

RONGO (God of Agriculture)

In tropic lands the legends tell

Astounding pioneers did dwell

This wise fella began all flight

For Rongo flew the world’s first kite!

TANGAROA (Father of All Gods & Goddesses)

Tangaroa took the form of a tree

(A tree that no one ever did see)

And so each spring the legends say

New life comes forth in wondrous way

NGENDEI (The Earth Balancer)

A legend comes from the tropic sea

It may be true – or – fan-ta-sy

‘Tis said when Pele shakes the land

Ngendei rocks and rolls upon his hands

PELE (Goddess of Fire and Volcanoes)

Jealous Pele’s angry scorn

Is known to every native born

With mighty blast or simple cough

She blows her bloomin top right off!

HINA KULUUA (Goddess of Rain)

In island world there is no gloom

For Hina’s mists make orchids bloom

And when this goddess is at play

A magic rainbow ends each day

TANGAROA-RU (Goddess of the East Wind)

Her gentle breeze on a tropic isle

Makes flowers sing and tikis smile

And casts a spell on flying birds

Whose joyous songs speak wisdom words