Make a Bamboo Tiki Idol
Native cultures are admired and respected for their rituals, music, stories and art. Evoke the feeling of native Hawaii in your home with handmade sculptures of Polynesian idols. In Polynesian cultures, small figurines, known as tikis, are carved to represent ancestors, gods and other divine entities. Incorporate your own human and animal imagery, or take inspiration from actual idols, such as Pele, the fire goddess; Lono, the god of heaven; or Tane, the god of the forest. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Remove side branches from a stalk of bamboo by hacking them off with a small axe or a machete.
2. Cut a length of bamboo that to the desired height of the tiki idol, using a saw with a fine wood cutting blade.
3. Hold the bamboo over an open fire until the resins are drawn to the surface. Wipe away the resin with a dry cloth and set the bamboo aside, positioned upright, until it is dry.
4. Sand away the skin of the bamboo gently, using fine-grit sandpaper.
5. Draw a mask-like face as well as any desired totem or design elements, using a pencil. Carve along the drawn lines, scoring and digging with a carving knife and a V-gouge. Take care to not puncture the wall of the bamboo. Cut out any desired shapes, such as the eyes and mouth, with the carving knife.
6. Purchase or cut an unfinished, square wood base that is a bit larger than the diameter of the bamboo, to support the standing idol.
7. Sand all cut edges from the idol and the base with fine-grit sandpaper to smooth them down.
8. Adhere the carved idol to the base with wood glue. Place something on top to weight the idol and allow the glue to cure overnight.
9. Wipe a coat of wood stain with a cloth on the idol and base. Allow the stain to saturate then wipe off the excess. Add two or three additional coats to darken or even the stain coloration.
10. Paint the idol and base, after the stain dries, with wood sealer.
Tags: idol base, Bamboo Tiki, Bamboo Tiki Idol, base with, carving knife, fine-grit sandpaper