I always loved the Tiki gods of the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland, the ones located in the garden before you enter the show. Disney parks just posted this good video showing all of them and how they are animated, so have a look!
They were inspired by South Pacific legends and designed by Imagineers Marc Davis and Rolly Crump. Marty Sklar wrote the dialogues and the plaques. The names of the gods are:
Pele: This Hawaiian fire goddess lives in the Kilauea volcano and likes to torment her neighbor …
Ngendei: from Fiji, he is the creator of all the gods. He’s also got a big job as balancer of the whole world. That pressure combined with the torment he suffers from Pele – it’s no wonder there’s an earthquake every time he moves.
Maui: The Polynesian trickster who gave people time and roped the playful Sun.
Rongo: The Polynesian god of agriculture, also known as Lono in Hawai`i, is also the provider of food. He also discovered electricity, naturally.
Koro: The Midnight Dancer, under whose spell all ladies and men learned to dance.
Tangaroa-ru: Also known as Mapui-Kaufanga in Maori tales, she is goddess of the east winds, which bring rain.
Hina Kaluua: This Hawaiian mistress of rain, from Hilo, Hawai`i, keeps it in the family – her daughter, Hina, is the mother of the trickster, Maui.
Tangaroa: The father of all gods and goddesses, he took the form of a tree (a tree that no one ever did see)
Another artwork showing the Tiki drummers that one can see inside the show.
And now, here is the Disney Parks video!
Picture and video: copyright Disney
The creation of Disneyland's Tiki Gods was one of those all-too-rare moments of true human perfection. Full of charm, humor and style, it never fails to bring a smile to my face.
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