Eve Bergeron

By the early 1990s, Tiki bars were nearly extinct, and ceramic drinking vessels known as Tiki mugs were vanishing into thrift stores and swap meets. But in Venice Beach, California, a small group of collectors, artists, and enthusiasts saw something more. Art. Cabali and the Tiki Mug Obsession follows two intertwined stories. It traces the history of Tiki culture through its iconic collectible Tiki mugs, exploring how boutique publishing and a fledgling internet gave rise to a passionate, global community. Second, it tells the story of Fini, an obsessive Tiki mug collector, whose dedication inspired Cabali, a modernist speakeasy Tiki bar in Oro Valley, AZ.