MANATIISCULT

Name: Frederic Thiebault Experience: 10+ Years Location: Lyon, France Specialties: Tiki Carving Instagram: @manatiiscult Facebook: manatiiscut & originaltikishow ebay.fr/usr/manatiiscult etsy.com/fr/shop/manatiiscult

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In his forties, a part-time gardener calls himself Manatiiscult and signs with the tip of his MANA knife. Since my childhood, my grandfather’s workshop which made wooden objects and boards, was a source of inspiration. Sawdust, shavings and many tools are beautiful and good memories from this time! Besides, weren’t the ancients more “do it yourself” than us?

Since my beginnings in 2007, the road travelled has been long and difficult. It was while leafing through magazines of choppers and kustom cars like Powerglide and Kustom mag (today all gone) that I saw my first grimacing tiki, I fell in love! Let us not forget to cite the famous Sven Kirsten and his book “Tiki Pop” which led me to discover the American tiki culture. This lasted so many years and brought a great creativity, particularly in the tiki bars which today return to the front of the stage for our greatest pleasure!

I also document the origin of tiki which represents the man and the god, the god man and sometimes the ancestor. Depending on the Pacific Islands, it is represented differently. But today what does it represent? Is it not against the tide of our society which is advancing at high speed?