Kevin Kidney

ENCHANTED TIKI ROOM STAINED GLASS LAMP

Disneyland Enchanted Tiki Room Tangaroa Lamp
Originally uploaded by Miehana

“Oh Mystic Powers, hear my call: from my limbs let new life fall!”

Tangaroa, the Father of all Tiki Gods and Goddesses, stands in the form of a mighty tree at the entrance to Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room. As he speaks his magical verse, new life comes forth “in wondrous way” as a happy crop of tiny wooden tikis drop from the flowering blooms on his branches. Imagineer Rolly Crump, who conjured up this deity back in 1962, referred to the mythology of various Pacific islands in creating the humorous tiki characters who populate Adventureland’s tropical paradise. The resulting designs and personalities are grounded in Polynesian folklore, but are pure Disney creations.

Our original design called for each glass flower to be individually turned on or off by tugging on the baby tikis hanging from chains. It seemed like a plausible idea, until we discovered that the hidden switches would have required each branch to be about twice as fat. This would have looked horrible - and might even have angered the gods, themselves - so a drum-like knob was added to the back of the tree base instead. Jody and I sculpted the baby tikis out of wax one afternoon while in China.

We get asked about this item by collectors more often than just about any other item. Too bad only 500 were made. We have several friends who bought more than one!

Released in Summer 2005.