Tiki bars’ use of Polynesian gods is problematic – is a rebrand in order?

Let’s do away with the fetishisation of female islanders through costumes and artwork, and the secular use of deities’ images on cups and decorations. These trivialise the very real cultures from which they were appropriated, and create a sense of “otherness”.

An easy way to put this into perspective would be drinking cocktails from a mini statuette of Guanyin or having the Virgin Mary on your stirring stick – likely to be quite jarring and considered, at the very least, insensitive to the contemporary bar-goer. I’m personally a huge fan of keeping the fun mugs coming in other iterations, featuring everything from Baby Yoda to Godzilla.

And let’s call it tropical rather than tiki – which, in Maori, refers to the first man created. After all, if we keep the playful kitschiness of bamboo walls, palm plants and cocktails in pineapples, and leave out the tribal iconography, that’s what it would distil down to.

In fact, tropical could be a subcategory of a larger genre of immersive bars. I want to see more Mos Eisley cantinas, Atlantis underwater lounges … heck, bring back the Rainforest Cafés, complete with fake thunderstorms and full bar service.

Alongside advancements in augmented and virtual reality, we have more oppor­tunities than ever to cater to the growing demand for escapist experiences.

With the scary political climate, Covid-19 and our losing battle against climate change, we could all do with the opportunity to transport ourselves (without the absurd airfares) somewhere else where, incidentally, it’s always five o’clock.

So light the drinks on fire and add a little paper umbrella (make it a good-quality drink, though, with real juices and top-shelf spirits). As much as I love my speakeasies and bartenders in braces, sometimes we need to be reminded that drinking is fun and shouldn’t be taken too seriously – and that’s the essence of what Donn Beach was trying to achieve anyway.