Links for 3/11/09

Legendary Surfers: Wrightsville, N.C., 1909

Legendary Surfers: Eddie Aikau (1946-1978)

Legendary Surfers: Wrightsville Body Boarders, 1920s

Legendary Surfers: East Coast Surfing Prior to Duke

Hukilau 2009

The one and only Hukilau. Great artwork as usual for this famous east-coast Tiki event.

Hukilau 2009 Poster

Quoting Otto von Stroheim’s Tiki Events e-mail:

Ok all you beachcombers, beatniks, bongo-beaters, tiki-carvers, mixologists, and exotica disciples from around the globe – grab your conch shell, grass skirt, aloha wear and that favorite bottle of rum and begin to prepare yourself for the 8th annual pilgrimage to most intimate Tiki festival in the world.

Experience Polynesia in America’s Vacationland

June 11 – 14, 2009
It’s time to make those plans to attend what promises to be a most memorable Polynesian Pop weekend as Tikiphiles unite!! We’re pleased to announce the entertainers that will bring you intoxicating tunes, the dazzlers that will provide mesmerizing performances, the seminars and presentations that will leave you spellbound and of course an incredible night at the historic Mai-Kai Restaurant! The full weekend’s schedule goes live in January.

Don’t Forget To Make Your Mai-Kai Reservations Now – For Those First Timers, The Mai-Kai Dinner Is June 13 – You’Ll Have 2 Shows To Choose From And Can Call 954.563.3272 To Make Your Reservations Today
We are responding to the strain on the economy, as we know it’s on everyone’s mind. Check out our ticket and hotel room prices for some big discounts this coming year – our weekend passes are considerably less and a great value!! Don’t delay and get your tickets now!!

We are so pleased to announce this year’s Headliner
Los Straitjackets!

Harold Golen Gallery of Miami presents the Hukilau Tiki Art Show
We have many first time guests to Hukilau as well as many return presenters and performers:

Please welcome these First Time Entertainers to our Island:

      *From Beyond: Los Straitjackets
      *From Tampa: The Stolen Idols
      *From Boca Raton: Gypsy Blue Acoustic Revue
      *From Miami: The Van Orsdels
      *From Tampa: DJ Lounge Laura Taylor w/Hukilau Go Go Dance Opening Party!
      *From Miami: DJ Laura of Miami throughout the weekend
      *The Titillating Tidbits of Dancers Candy Del Rio and Sable Sin Cyr

and of course the first ever Hukilau Room Crawl!!
Those returning to Hukilau:

      *King Kukulele returns as Master of Ceremonies
      *Jeff “Beachbum Berry with “Who’s Your Daddy? a Mai-Tai Paternity Test
      *Jeff Chenault with “More Sounds from Sophisticated Savages” Exotica Music Seminar
      *Marina the Mermaid and her school of tail flapping beauties
      *Surf Sounds of The Intoxicators

This year’s activities will be centered around the tropical Bahia Cabana Resort. Lots of activities will be in the summer sun so please plan accordingly. Check out our Tips From the Natives on the site so that you can be prepared for South Florida weather. All events will continue rain or shine.
Look for upcoming sculpts of the 2009 Munktiki Mug and we are also thrilled to announce that Tiki Tony will lend us a hand by designing the official Tiki pendant for Hukilau 2009! Hukilau Glassware, T-shirts and other keepsakes will be available at the event only – Hukilau merchandise will not be sent out this year (before or after the event) but can be reserved and picked up at the event only.
Thanks to the lovely wahine Heelgrinder for the amazing website and to all of our entertainers that have shared their music to be played as you browse the site.

See you in June 2009 – we’ll be waiting for you!
Let the countdown begin!
Yee-Haw & Aloha,
Tiki Kiliki
The Hukilau

Vinnie Bell’s Basement Guitars

Vinnie Bell Sitar Ad

Today I googled for Vincent Bell’s name because I couldn’t believe Danelectro didn’t mention him in their promo for the Coral Hornet re-issue now called Dead-On-67. He designed those in the sixties along with several other classic and unique models like the Bellzouki (first electric 12-string) and the Coral Sitar (electric guitar with 12 bordun strings and a sitar bridge). Anyway, so I came across this great page by Moe Thomas for the first time. He says he’s a long time friend of Mr. Bell and when he visited the legendary guitar player’s basement he took pictures of the sheer mass of historic and unique guitars and prototypes – many built by Vinnie himself. He’s a very inventive guy thinking up things like the first wahwah or his trademark underwater sound as heard on Moon Gas and apparently various practices and machinery used in guitar manufacturing – all while making a living as one of the east coast’s busiest studio session men.

Here are links to some highlights of the collection:

  • photo of Sitar prototypes
  • the sitar-shaped Bellzouki as portrayed on the back of Joe Harnell’s Bossa Now! album
  • Vinnie Bell’s personal 6-string bass (who knows how many records we have heard this one on?!!!)
  • one of a kind Coral Scorpio-style 12-string Sitar (a dream instrument of mine)
  • Vinnie Bell model Stratocaster as presented to him by Fender Musical Instruments (note straight bridge pick-up)
  • the banjo he played on Louis Armstrong’s recording Hello Dolly
  • the mandolin Bell played on The Godfather-soundtracks

also visit www.vinniebell.com

Did Ancient Polynesians Visit California?

Scholastic scientists ignore Thor Heyerdahl’s publications to the point of constant embarassment. For example the sewn plank canoe mentioned in this article is found along the way from the Pacific Northwest to Hawaii, Micronesia, Melanesia and New Zealand. These places surround a natural ocean route, described by Heyerdahl in the 1950s. Many ethnical and cultural evidences can be found of contact with pacific indians and polynesian people. And I would expect excactly that from people populating almost every significant island in the polynesian triangle. Why should they stop there? The Americas are hard to miss once you enter the Japan current. Remember Johnny Depp drifting out in a canoe at the end of Dead Man? If redwood lumber was taken to Hawaii by stream, why not canoes of coastal settlers? Maybe the occasional dead Northwestern indian’s canoe landed in Hawai’i front tip first – they would have regarded him a god! Hawaiki!

Did ancient Polynesians visit California? Maybe so. Scholars revive idea using linguistic ties, Indian headdress Keay Davidson, Chronicle Science Writer Monday, June 20, 2005 Scientists are taking a new look at an old and controversial idea: that ancient Polynesians sailed to Southern California a millennium before Christopher Columbus landed on the East Coast.Key new evidence comes from two directions. The first involves revised carbon-dating of an ancient ceremonial headdress used by Southern California’s Chumash Indians. The second involves research by two California scientists who suggest that a Chumash word for ‘sewn-plank canoe’ is derived from a Polynesian word for the wood used to construct the same boat.

Did ancient Polynesians visit California? Maybe so. / Scholars revive idea using linguistic ties, Indian headdress