Tiki Tak Tribe
- "Tiki" redirects here. For the character from the Fire Emblem series who appears as an Assist Trophy in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, see Assist Trophy § Tiki.
| Tiki Tak Tribe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 The Tiki Tak Tribe's commanders | |||
| First appearance | Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010) | ||
| Latest appearance | Donkey Kong Country Returns HD (2025) | ||
| Leader | Tiki Tong | ||
| |||
| |||
- “Tell those Tikis to keep it down! I'm an old ape, and I need my rest.”
- —Cranky Kong, Donkey Kong Country Returns
The Tiki Tak Tribe is an organization of demonic creatures known as Tikis led by Tiki Tong, who appear as the main antagonists in Donkey Kong Country Returns and its Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Switch ports. Similar to the Kremling Krew from previous Donkey Kong Country installments, there are higher and lower-ranked members of the Tiki Tak Tribe. The higher-rank members are capable of hypnotizing other characters, such as other animals and a boss in each world. The lower-rank members make up the recurring enemies throughout the levels. The Tiki Tak Tribe has a wooden mask for their emblem, as shown on the Snippys' ship's sails, flags and bicorne and an icon in the image gallery.
Both the higher and lower-rank tikis resemble a musical instrument; all of the lower-ranked ones resemble a drum. The particular instrument that a higher ranked tiki resembles is played in the background music of the associated boss fight.
Traditionally, Tikis are associated with Polynesian culture, though the Tiki Tak Tribe seems to draw more influence from African tribal culture instead, which is evident by the patterns and vibrant colors each Tiki has.
History[edit]
Donkey Kong Country Returns (3D / HD)[edit]
In the opening cutscene of Donkey Kong Country Returns, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D and Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, the volcano of Donkey Kong Island erupts and the Tiki Tong Tower emerges out it. Members of the Tiki Tak Tribe burst from the magma rocks falling from the eruption. They spread across the island, and the seven high-ranked tikis go to hypnotize the animal inhabitants into stealing every banana in sight, even from the banana hoard. Krazy Kalimba, one of the tribe's commanders, stops Donkey Kong right as he leaves his house to hypnotize him. However, this has no effect on Donkey Kong, who beats up Kalimba. This is the first gameplay portion of Donkey Kong Country Returns, as part of the first level, Jungle Hijinxs. It tasks the player with shaking their controller or mashing certain buttons (both of which are the inputs of the Barrel Roll) to attack Kalimba. This ends with sending Kalimba flying out the door and into the distance. Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong set off to stop the Tiki Tak Tribe.
At the boss level of each world, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong spot one of the higher-ranked tiki, who hypnotizes the boss to fight them. For example, in The Mole Train of the Cave world, the tiki commander Banjo Bottom employs Mole Miners to transport the stolen bananas and possesses their leader Mole Miner Max. They hide behind the boss for the battle. Other members of the tribe spectate the ensuring battle. While the first of the boss levels, Mugly's Mound in the Jungle, takes place in a stadium setting for the Tiki Tak Tribe to fill the bleachers, later boss fights take place in stranger locations and the tribe is still present to watch the battles. Thugly's Highrise takes place across multiple arenas accessed by Thugly breaking the floor, which results in the tribe using a flying ship that follows the combatants. The Tiki Tak Tribe cheers each time the boss hits the Kongs but gasp when the boss takes damage.
After the Kongs defeat each boss, each Tiki dizzily re-emerges from the unconscious boss. This prompts another gasp from the crowd. The player can go up to the tiki and punch it repeatedly or simply let it escape after it recovers, completing the level either way. If the player does punch the Tiki, the mechanics are similar to the "DK" symbol of a Slot Machine Barrel. At the end of the available time, the player delivers one last punch to send the Tiki far into the distance. The only difference is that the cutscene shows Donkey Kong or Diddy Kong winding up as they approach the Tiki, and the player is not allowed to start punching until they are close to the Tiki. An early punch forces the sequence to end prematurely with only the final punch connecting. The number of punches a Tiki takes is reported on the level's end screen, though it is not saved.
In Feather Fiend of the Factory world, it is revealed that the Tiki Tak Tribe is stealing bananas to mass-produce Tikis. Colonel Pluck is hypnotised to use his Stompybot 3000 to mash them up, then the bananas are dispensed into tiki shells moved into position by a Conveyor Belt to bring the shells to life.
The final world of the game is the Volcano from which the Tikis appeared from. Its final level, Tiki Tong Terror, has Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong enter Tiki Tong Tower. There, they meet the leader Tiki Tong, and all of the other commanders from the other worlds are present. Tiki Tong grinds a pile of bananas into juice and spews it over his lieutenants. This transforms them into a large pair of hands, which Tiki Tong uses during the final battle. There is no crowd for this level. As Tiki Tong is the boss of the Volcano, rather than hypnotizing another character, the normal procedure after defeating a boss is replaced by the game's ending.
After defeating Tiki Tong, he explodes into bananas, which launches the Kongs into space. While coming back down Donkey Kong decides to have Diddy Kong use the Barrel Jet boost them into the moon so he can punch it into Tiki Tong Tower. (If Diddy Kong is absent Donkey Kong does the above without Diddy. If Donkey Kong is absent, then Diddy Kong tries to prevent himself from falling onto the moon with the Barrel Jet only for it to malfunction and boost him into the moon.) This also drops the moon onto Tiki Tong Tower. The moon knocks out the tower and pushes it back into the volcano, though the volcano proceeds to erupt bananas and sends the moon flying back into orbit. The tower does not return. As the bananas rain from the sky, the animals are freed from their hypnosis.
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
Various members of the Tiki Tak Tribe have appeared in the Super Smash Bros. series. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Tiki Buzzes appear as enemies in Smash Run. In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Screaming Pillars appear as stage hazards in Jungle Hijinxs.
There are collectible items of various members of the Tiki Tak Tribe. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, both a Tiki Buzz and Kalimba each have their own trophy. In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Krazy Kalimba and Tiki Tong appear as trophies, both of which can be purchased at the Trophy Shop. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the commanders of the Tiki Tak Tribe (excluding Tiki Tong) appear collectively as a Novice-class Neutral-type primary spirit with three support slots. When used, the spirit grants weakness to fire and explosion attacks. In World of Light, it is found on The Light Realm map; its puppet fighters are four differently colored Diddy Kongs on the Kongo Falls stage.
Other appearances[edit]
In Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and its Nintendo Switch port, Strong Greenies wielding spears with a tiki mask resembling Krazy Kalimba on them appear in the Jungle Exhibit in Treacherous Mansion. Regular Greenies can also appear with them in the ScareScraper.
Screaming Pillars appear separately from the rest of their tribe in several games, such as Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Mario Golf: World Tour, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and in the December 12, 2018 update of Mario Kart Arcade GP DX. They also appear alongside Tiki Goons in the Mario Kart series course, DK Jungle.
List of members[edit]
High-ranking[edit]
| Image | Name | Description
|
|---|---|---|
 |
Krazy Kalimba[1][2] | Krazy Kalimba is the first high-ranked tiki whom Donkey Kong encounters. Based on the mbira instrument, he is painted light blue on one half of his body and red on the other, as well as having a headband made of three ropes. Krazy Kalimba is featured in the Jungle world. During the opening sequence, Krazy Kalimba encounters Donkey Kong and attempts to hypnotize him. This proves to be unsuccessful as Donkey Kong would proceed to repeatedly punch Krazy Kalimba and then send him flying out of his tree house. Krazy Kalimba later appears during the world's boss level, Mugly's Mound, where he hypnotizes Mugly to fight Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong. |
 |
The Maraca Gang[1][3] | The Maraca Gang are a trio featured in the Beach world. As their name suggests, the trio is based on the maraca instrument and each of them have differently colored feathers on their head: red, lavender and green. During the boss level, Pinchin' Pirates, the Maraca Gang hypnotize the Scurvy Crew to fight the Kongs. |
 |
Gong Oh[1][3][4] | Gong-Oh is based on a gong and its gong piece shows an emblem of a sun. It is featured in the Ruins world, more specifically during the boss level, Ruined Roost, where it hypnotizes Stu to fight the Kongs. |
 |
Banjo Bottom[1][3][5] | Banjo Bottom, as its name suggests, is based on a banjo. It is featured in the Cave world, specifically during the boss level, The Mole Train. Before the boss fight begins, Banjo Bottom hypnotizes Mole Miner Max to engage in a battle against Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong. |
 |
Wacky Pipes[1][3] | Wacky Pipes is the fifth high-ranked tiki encountered by the Kongs. It is based on the pan flute instrument and featured in the Forest world, more specifically in the boss level, Mangoruby Run, where it hypnotizes Mangoruby to fight the Kongs. |
 |
Xylobone[1][3][6] | Xylobone is based on a xylophone and appears in the Cliff world. It appears in the boss level, Thugly's Highrise, hypnotizing Thugly to battle the Kongs. |
 |
Cordian[1][3] | Cordian is the seventh and final normal high-ranked tiki that the Kongs encounter. It is based on the accordian instrument and featured in the Factory world in the boss level, Feather Fiend, where it hypnotizes Colonel Pluck to fight the Kongs. |
 |
Tiki Tong | The leader of the Tiki Tak Tribe and the final boss of the game. Prior to the boss battle, his lieutenants assist him in grinding the remainder of the bananas they stole into juice as he spews it on the tikis, turning them into Tiki Tong's own pair of hands. |
Minions[edit]
Tiki Bomber (dropping)
Unused[edit]
Unused fire-based Tikis
Unused large, drum-like Tiki and torch-like Tikis
Physical appearance[edit]
Most of the Tiki Tak Tribe resemble floating wooden tiki masks and many are adorned with colored feathers. However, they come in a variety of colors and shapes, such as the Tiki Goons that resemble bongo drums or drums and Tiki Buzzes that resemble birds with wooden wings to their sides. The main servants of Tiki Tong have pairs of skinny twig-like arms.
Powers and abilities[edit]
The Tikis have a variety of abilities. The higher ranked members are agile, have the ability to float in midair, and can hypnotize other creatures. This is done by playing music from their bodies, and while doing so their eyes show an expanding concentric circle pattern. Hypnotized characters have their eyes turn into spirals. Their hypnosis does not work on all characters, as Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong are mysteriously unaffected by it. The lower rank members have more distinctive traits from each other. For instance, the Tiki Buzzes can fly, Flaming Tiki Buzzes and Tiki Torches can produce fire (even though they are made up of wood), and Tiki Tanks wear a steel helmet to protect them from direct attacks.
The Tikis use bananas as some kind of life source. In Feather Fiend, it is shown that a Tiki can come to life when mashed-up bananas are incorporated into a non-living body. This is further demonstrated in the final battle against Tiki Tong, where he spews juice grinded from the remainder of the stolen bananas on the seven high-ranked tikis to turn them into his own pair of hands. When said hands and Tiki Tong are destroyed, they explode into bananas.
The Tiki Tak Tribe makes use of ships and other aircraft that fly with balloons. In Jungle Hijinxs, a Tiki Pilot uses one such ship to escape with the banana hoard. Certain levels like Tippy Shippy involve cannon fire from such ships. The spectating members of the Tiki Tak Tribe in Thugly's Highrise follow the battle against Thugly on a ship in the background. Rocket Barrels are at risk of colliding with such ships in Lift-off Launch, which are also being used to haul bananas. In Tiki Tong Terror, the Tiki Tak Tribe attacks using smaller aircraft with spiky balloons as the Kongs ascend Tiki Tong Tower on a Rocket Barrel.
Profiles and statistics[edit]
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U[edit]
| Trophy Kalimba (Nintendo 3DS, American English) Krazy Kalimba (Nintendo 3DS, British English / Wii U) | ||
3DS: Wii U: 
| ||
| Category: Series Related | ||
( ) Appears in:Wii Donkey Kong Country Returns (11/2010) 3DS Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (05/2013) | ||
| () Trophy Box: 19: Donkey Kong Country Returns
| ||
| How to unlock: (  ) Random(  ) Purchase at the Trophy Shop
| ||
| The Tiki Tak Tribe is an evil group of instrumental Tikis from Donkey Kong Country Returns. You first meet Kalimba as he hypnotizes animals with his music. The top of Kalimba Tiki looks a bit like his namesake, an African instrument that is also called a thumb piano. (American English) | ||
| The Tiki Tak Tribe are the enemies shaped like musical instruments in Donkey Kong Country Returns. When Kalimba first turns up, he hypnotises the animals with his music. Incidentally, the top of his head looks just like a kalimba, an African instrument. Never seen one? Look it up! (British English) | ||
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
| Spirit #165 Tiki Tak Tribe | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Series/game | Donkey Kong Series |
| Type | Primary | |
| Slots | 3 | |
| Class | Novice | |
| Strength / effect(s) | Neutral Fire Weakness | |
| How to obtain | World of Light (The Light Realm); Spirit Board | |
| Spirit battle | Opponent(s) | Diddy Kong ×4 |
| Conditions |
| |
| Stage | Kongo Falls | |
| Song | Jungle Hijinxs |
Play Nintendo[edit]
- This troublesome tribe can’t mask their thieving nature.
With a little bit of hocus pocus, these musical hypnotists can turn the gentle beasts of the jungle into fearsome foes.[7]
Gallery[edit]
Group[edit]
Donkey Kong Country Returns
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD
Emblem[edit]
Snippys' ship
Flag
Bicorne
.png)
.png)
.png)
Miscellaneous[edit]
Pillars
Column
Totems
Production
Temple
.png)
.png){kind=small}
.png)
.png)
.png)
Theme[edit]
 Tiki Tak Tribe | File info |
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | ティキ Tiki-zoku |
Tiki Tribe | |
| Chinese (simplified) | 提克族[?] Tíkè Zú |
Tiki Tribe | |
| Chinese (traditional) | 提基族[?] Tíjī Zú |
Tiki Tribe | |
| Dutch | Tiki Tak-stam[?] | Tiki Tak tribe | |
| French | Tribu Tiki Tak[?] | Tiki Tak Tribe | |
| German | Tiki Tak-Stamm[?] | Tiki Tak's Tribe | |
| Italian | Tribù Tiki Tak[?] | Tiki Tak Tribe | |
| Korean | 티키족[?] Tikijok |
Tiki Tribe | |
| Portuguese (NOA) | Povo Tiki Tak[8] | Tiki Tak People | |
| Portuguese (NOE) | Tiki Tak Tribe[?] | Tiki Tak Tribe | |
| Russian | Племя Тики-так[?] Plemya Tiki-tak |
Tiki Tak Tribe | |
| Spanish | Tribu Tiki Tak[?] | Tiki Tak Tribe |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g nintendoamerica (January 23, 2025). Who's your pick for baddie-est baddie? #DonkeyKong Country Returns HD is out now!. Instagram. Retrieved January 29, 2025.
- ^ Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS (British English version) and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U: Krazy Kalimba trophy title
- ^ a b c d e f Donkey Kong Country Returns internal data
- ^ Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (British English version): Stu trophy description
- ^ Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (British English version): Mole Miner Max trophy description
- ^ Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (British English version): Thugly trophy description
- ^ 2024. Play Nintendo. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
- ^ "Ajude Donkey Kong e Diddy Kong a recuperarem seu precioso tesouro de bananas do abominável Povo Tiki Tak" – Donkey Kong Country Returns HD. Nintendo (Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved January 29, 2025.
