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© 2007 Tiki Kiliki
Site design by Humuhumu
Logo by Kevin Kidney

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Co-Founder, Producer & Hukilau Organizer tiki_kiliki@thehukilau.com Tiki Kiliki is the living embodiment of the Classic American High Life of the mid-20th Century, a time when men were men, women were goddesses and God’s own people drank deeply from sacred Polynesian vessels. As her handle suggests, she is the patron saint of all things Tiki, a longtime, two-duke collector & connoisseur of vintage vinyl and South Seas sculptures, who pours her considerable knowledge and attention to detail into all of her events. A TK event isn’t just a tribute, it’s the real deal. Kiliki is the Co-Founder/Producer/Organizer of the Hukilau (now in it’s 6th year at the Mai Kai in Ft. Lauderdale) as well as the Founder of Tiki Torch Nights (in both Atlanta & Fort Lauderdale). She marries such disparate, but chronologically related show-biz genres as burlesque, exotica, rockabilly, and yes, PolyPop-themed cocktail culture into seamless and scintillating entertainment packages. When Trader Vic’s in Atlanta celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2006, Ms. Kiliki was the obvious choice for the hostess with the most-est. Her commitment to Hukilau is undeniable as she strives each year to create an experience that every guest can take with them for a lifetime. Ms Kiliki currently resides in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Hukilau Organizer orchidwahine@thehukilau.com Orchid Wahine may be a new name to you, but she's no stranger to exotica or classic party culture. Born and raised amongst Fez-wearing Shriners and bouffant ladies bearing Jell-O molds – she continues her quest to revive a lifestyle from the days of glamour and frivolity – when parties were events to remember and cocktails were the main course. Orchid Wahine's first true taste of exotica was in 2001 at the Honolulu Restaurant outside of Washington, DC – home of master mixologist and former Trader Vic's bartender, David Chan. Although the Honolulu has sadly been reduced to rubble, Orchid Wahine and her husband host an annual tiki party complete with hula troupes and none other than Mr. Chan at the helm of their Honolulu-inspired bar. Orchid Wahine is honored to be aboard for this year's Hukilau and help this jewel of tiki Americana continue to be the timeless tradition it's become. Orchid Wahine and her husband reside in a mid-century modern community outside of Washington, DC with their three Boston Terriers.

Entertainment Coordinator mark@thehukilau.com Mark remembers his first encounter with the world of tiki vividly. He was 5 years old and, intrigued by the cover art, played his mother's Arthur Lyman album "Bahia." From the first bird call he was hooked. Mark spent all of his 20's and early 30's honing his skills as a jazz pianist in his home town of San Diego, California where he founded a successful salsa band. For more than 8 years, Mark's band toured, recorded and performed regularly at their home base--the famous Croce's Jazz Bar in San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. During that time, Mark worked as music director and producer for numerous local recording and performing projects as well has his own band's. Today, Mark works as a public relations executive at one of Los Angeles' largest non-profit mental health care providers. Through all that, tiki has never left is blood. Mark is known as "the tiki guy" as his office is decorated with tiki mugs and exotica album art.

Vendor Coordinator vendors@thehukilau.com Our vendor coordinator, Dave "Basement Kahuna" Wolfe, is arguably one of the best kept secrets in the Tiki world as we know it. Born and raised in Georgia in relative isolation from the Tiki/Hawaiiana world, he discovered and fell in love with the style quite on his own in the early '90s and created a visionary Tiki world through sheer interest and obsession in his home before discovering kindred spirits in Tiki Central and in the pages of Sven Kirsten's Book Of Tiki. Far beyond his extraordinary devotion and passion for everything in the Tiki genre, his legendary acumen for uncovering bits of Tiki's glorious past in the form of artifacts of every description, his uncanny feel for the aesthetic of Tiki style, and his prowess for mixology, he is a highly accomplished Tiki carver and creator of all things Polynesian Pop. Once referred to by Sven Kirsten as "A one man Oceanic Arts," his Tikis, Polynesian war club reproductions, shields, masks, and light fixtures can be seen in personal Tiki bars from L.A. to Paris and everywhere in between, and in modern-era Tiki bars as well as legendary Tiki temples such as the beloved Mai Kai. As always, we are thrilled to have him as a part of the Hukilau celebration.

Sarong-O-Rama Organizers fashionshow@thehukilau.com Tiki Bree (Bre-elle) grew up on Florida's space coast during its boom in the 1960s where the best of Florida's kitsch attractions and space-age architecture were in its prime. Sci-fi movies at drive-in theaters, mermaids, astronauts, orange groves, and a talent for getting backstage at mod concerts were common fare for this gal as she rocketed through her teens with outlandish fashions of her own design. Bree's early modeling credits include a magazine ad for Ron Jon's surf shop, cover of the Cocoa Beach phone directory, print work for Bell telephone's "new" Touch Tone phones and Central Florida¹s Teen Model of the Year. Bre-elle continued her modeling work appearing in fashion shows for Central Florida department stores, print, TV and industrial work. Attendees at Hula Hula productions of The Florida Show, Retro Rama, and Baby Boomer antiques shows enjoy Bre-elle's glam appearances as the Florida orange juice girl, Miss Sunken Gardens, a Weeki Wachee inspired mermaid and retro Barbie. Bre-elle brings her well-rounded expertise in retro fashion, entertainment and tiki to the catwalk at this year’s Hukilau!

Sandra Carr was enthralled by the whimsical art and beauty of tiki after she watched The Brady Bunch Go to Hawaii episode in her younger years. She has utilized her creativity and given back to the tiki community by covering the tiki culture for Orlando CityBeat.com (2004), writing about the Exotica tiki festival and the closing of Trader Vic’s in Chicago for Time Out Chicago (2005), covered the Hukilau tiki festivals in 2005 and 2006 for Tiki Magazine and has written about a tiki road trip through the coasts of Florida for the Orlando Sentinel’s travel section (2006). Besides writing about tiki, she has modeled 1960s fashions with her husband during the 2005 AMP! (Art, Music and Poetry) show in Orlando. Sandra brings her ardor, enthusiasm and experience to those sashaying tiki threads during Hukilau 2007!

Website Designer hello@humuhumu.com This will be Humuhumu's fifth year as a Hukilau attendee, and her second year as our website designer! Humuhumu is the woman behind the websites Critiki, Humu Kon Tiki and Ooga-Mooga. Her web portfolio can be viewed at Humuhumu.com.

Hukilau History

A Hukilau is a traditional Hawaiian festival held in the fishing villages of old. A large net is cast into the sea then the villagers herd the fish and slowly pull the net to the shore. The feast that follows is meant to emphasize the spirit of family and community, or 'ohana. Our mainland Hukilau is a net thrown out to the entire world, bringing the lovers of “Polynesian Pop” or “Tiki” culture together for our own special celebration.

Our Hukilau began when a few people on the Tiki Central message board discussed gathering at Trader Vic’s in Atlanta. Tiki Kiliki (Co-founder and Producer) and Swanky (former Organizer) began planning what is now “Hukilau” – an annual event celebrating Hawaiian and Polynesian Pop culture while honoring a historic Tiki bar. The reaction and excitement was phenomenal! The first event held in 2002, honoring Trader Vic’s Atlanta (open since 1976), was three days of entertainment and events. All venues sold out and the crowds poured in. It also sparked a fire to do more, thus an annual Tiki Gala was born!

Hukilau saw a change of location in 2003 when we were encouraged by other Tikiphiles to honor the amazing Mai Kai in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (open since 1956). The response was overwhelming, as we had attendees from all over the world and once again the event was extremely successful. In 2004, despite the occurrence of hurricane Jeanne, the event had an attendance of over 800 guests. With yet another successful year, along with the support of the Mai Kai family, Hukilau had found a permanent home. In 2005, Hukilau made history as we assembled a 16-piece orchestra to play one of the greatest compositions of Exotica music ever recorded by the incomparable Robert Drasnin. The performance of his LP, Voodoo, marked the first time the material had been played in its entirety since 1959. Attendees have described the experience as if they were transported back in time to the 1950s and were watching a live performance in one of the many Tiki palaces that used to grace almost every major city in America. 2005 also produced our largest attendance ever of over 900 guests.

Other entertainers who have graced the Hukilau stage in the past have included Waitiki, the Intoxicators, Billy Mure, Haole Kats, Polynesian Proud, Italy's I Belli Di Waikiki, King Kukulele, Big Pineapple, UberEasy, Johnny Knox and Hi-Test, the Penetrators, Torchy Taboo, the He'e Amakuas, the Delusionaires, Tongo-hiti and Dames A’Flame and the Vodkanauts.

Hukilau continues to grow and spread the Aloha spirit. There are so many people that assist in making it happen that it’s impossible to name all of them. We would very much like to thank our extended family at the Mai Kai for welcoming us with open arms year after year: Owners Dave Levy and Mrs. Kulani Thornton-Gelardi, and the beautiful and amazing choreographer Mirielle Thornton whom once stated while looking at our guests enjoying themselves at the Mai Kai, “this is the way it used to be.” Also, a special thanks to incredible support of Pia Dahlquist, Kern Mattei and each and every employee of the Mai Kai, without whom the magic just wouldn’t be the same.

Hukilau Co-Founder, Former Co-Organizer swanky@swankpad.org Swanky is co-founder of Hukilau. He was co-organizer of Hukilau through 2004 and also created and managed the online reservation system through 2005. These days he is spending time building his home tiki bar and carving wooden idols rather than organizing this huge event. His website is: The Swank Pad (http://www.SwankPad.org)