Explore desert tiki culture

Exploring desert tiki culture is a must when you have chance to visit this wonderful place. Tiki culture in America first emerged in the 19th century. Tiki is a Maori word for a carved figure. The emergence of loosely Polynesian-themed pubs reflects an overblown view of Oceania that, after World War II, became a haven for Depression-era Americans, particularly among US soldiers returning from the South Pacific.

In Palm Springs, places like Bootlegger Tiki, Tonga Hut, and Toucans Tiki Lounge and Cabaret—which also hosts monthly drag shows—celebrate the cultural phenomena with kitsch and tropical layered-rum drinks, despite the movement drawing criticism for cultural appropriation (though rum was originally a Caribbean thing).