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American Museum of Natural History has Tikis |
populuxe
Tiki Centralite
Joined: May 05, 2006
Posts: 39
From: NY NY
|  Posted: 2006-09-28 3:10 pm Permalink
I went to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City to see the Dinosaurs. They were amazing, but I was even more blown away when I happened upon the Pacific Peoples exhibition. I walked into the hall, towards the back was a huge Easter Island Moai. (insert chorus here). I am a huge tiki fan, I immediately went towards the sculpture and gave him a big hug. The exhibit is a must-see for any tiki collector. Check out photos on my blog http://populuxebooks.com/blog/index.php/2006/09/27/american_museum_of_natural_history_tikis
[ This Message was edited by: populuxe 2006-09-28 15:11 ]
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Humuhumu
Grand Member (5 years) 
Joined: Aug 22, 2002
Posts: 3536
From: San Francisco
| Posted: 2006-09-28 3:14 pm Permalink
I saw that link on your blog yesterday! How big is the collection there? Is it pretty much covered in the photos on your blog, or is there more?
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teaKEY
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 09, 2004
Posts: 3663
From: The thumb !
| Posted: 2006-09-28 3:56 pm Permalink
What do you think that Moai is made out of. Its not real is it. Looks to perfect in surface and coloring.
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populuxe
Tiki Centralite
Joined: May 05, 2006
Posts: 39
From: NY NY
| Posted: 2006-09-28 6:29 pm Permalink
Thanks for checking out my blog. There are hundreds of tikis and carvings you will be drooling over! The Moai is huge! I believe he is the real deal, solid lava rock. It was amazing!
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Polynesiac
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 29, 2004
Posts: 2022
From: San Pedro, CA
| Posted: 2006-10-01 9:51 pm Permalink
The natural history museum does have a very large collection of south pacific art. To my wife's chagrin, I spent some time in the rather out-of -the-way exhibit trying to photgraph as much as I could for carving reference. The artifacts are all the real deal with a sample from just about every island nation in the south pacific. They had quite a few PNG masks, marquesin tikis, and maori carvings. I'll see if I can post pics in a bit.
The Moai is not the real deal, I don't believe it's even lava rock. I remember it sounding more plastic-y when I knocked on it.
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populuxe
Tiki Centralite
Joined: May 05, 2006
Posts: 39
From: NY NY
| Posted: 2006-10-03 06:07 am Permalink
I asked my friend who has been to Easter Island to look at the pix and he said if he had to guess, he would say it's a fake. However, he thinks he read an article about it and apparently, it is real and although one of the smaller Moai from Easter Island it is very rare, because it is one of the only ones removed from the island.
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Koolau
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 23, 2006
Posts: 323
From: Oahu, Hawaii
| Posted: 2006-10-17 11:30 pm Permalink
If it's in a museum and they let you touch it, it's probably not the real thing.
But that begs the question - are there any actual moai on display outside of Rapa Nui? If so, where?
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Fugu
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 06, 2006
Posts: 120
From: Atlanta, Georgia
| Posted: 2006-10-18 5:02 pm Permalink
There is one at the Smithsonian museum of natural history in Washington, D.C. This is what it looked like a couple of years ago.
[ This Message was edited by: Fugu 2006-10-18 17:08 ]
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Koolau
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 23, 2006
Posts: 323
From: Oahu, Hawaii
| Posted: 2006-10-18 8:07 pm Permalink
Thanks, Fugu - now that bugger really looks like he's been sitting outside for a couple hundred years. I'd tend to believe he's the real thing.
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tikibars
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 11, 2002
Posts: 2014
From: Aku Hall, Chicago
| Posted: 2006-10-18 8:49 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2006-10-17 23:30, Koolau wrote:
are there any actual moai on display outside of Rapa Nui? If so, where?
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The Moai in the museum in NYC is fake.
I was there in May and photographed it extensively.
Populuxe is right about one thing - the Pacific Islands wing in the museum is pretty amazing.
As for Koolau's question... well, let's just say that you may want to cross your fingers for Big Stone Head to get published already (if for no other reason than so the rest of you can have the relief of hearing me stop whining about it), and your question will be answered in a LOT of detail, with photos, dates, locations...
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Paipo
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 22, 2006
Posts: 1886
From: Aotearoa / NZ
| Posted: 2006-10-19 03:44 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2006-10-17 23:30, Koolau wrote:
If it's in a museum and they let you touch it, it's probably not the real thing.
But that begs the question - are there any actual moai on display outside of Rapa Nui? If so, where?
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There is a very famous one in the British Museum called Hoa Hakananai'a, which is beautifully carved. I guess most of the in-situ ones on the island looked this good before the ravages of time and weather took their toll. I have a book they published on him :
We have one here in NZ too at Otago Museum, only a baby and not a particularly flash specimen, especially compared to the chap above, but it is the real deal apparently:
(Pics are linked)
[ This Message was edited by: Paipo 2007-04-23 01:21 ]
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Koolau
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 23, 2006
Posts: 323
From: Oahu, Hawaii
| Posted: 2006-10-19 7:22 pm Permalink
Paipo and tikibars - thanks for the info, and especially for the photo of Hoa Hakananai'a - that is a remarkable moai.
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woofmutt
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 26, 2002
Posts: 2584
From: Seattilite Telstar
| Posted: 2009-05-29 1:10 pm Permalink
Natural History
Journal of The American Museum of Natural History
May 1935
Mystery Island of the Pacific
These are most of the images from the article. The text was standard history and information.
 
 
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KuKu
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: May 07, 2008
Posts: 436
From: Santa Cruz, CA. norcal
| Posted: 2009-05-30 2:15 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2006-09-28 15:10, populuxe wrote:
I went to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, towards the back was a huge Easter Island Moai. (insert chorus here). I am a huge tiki fan, I immediately went towards the sculpture and gave him a big hug... |
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YOU DUM DUM!!! GIMME GUM GUM...
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Staredge
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 15, 2008
Posts: 103
From: Martinsburg
| Posted: 2009-05-30 4:34 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2006-10-18 17:02, Fugu wrote:
There is one at the Smithsonian museum of natural history in Washington, D.C. This is what it looked like a couple of years ago.
[ This Message was edited by: Fugu 2006-10-18 17:08 ]
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Here he is last Wednesday. He's been moved to the Constitution Street entrance.
As you can see, the information plaques are somewhat smaller.  Was on a class trip with my son, so I didn't get to see if there was anything else in the museum.
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