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 and its leader, Tiki Tong
First appearance	Donkey Kong Country Returns (2010)
Latest appearance	WarioWare: Get It Together! (2021)
Leader	Tiki Tong
Members Tiki Tong Tower Kalimba Maraca Gang Gong-Oh Banjo Bottom Wacky Pipes Xylobone Cordian
Member species Screaming Pillar Tiki Boing Tiki Buzz Tiki Goon Tiki Pilot Tiki Pop Tiki Seeker Tiki Tank Tiki Torch Tiki Zing

“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 demons known as Tikis led by Tiki Tong, who appear as the main antagonists in Donkey Kong Country Returns and its 3DS port Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D. 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 and their flags, bicorne and image gallery icon.

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

Donkey Kong Country Returns / Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D

In the opening cutscene of Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, when the Tiki Tong Tower emerges out from the volcano of Donkey Kong Island, the forces of the Tiki Tak Tribe are released from the rocks blasted out of it. Moments later, the seven high-ranked tikis hypnotize the animal inhabitants and control them to steal every banana in sight, even from the banana hoard. Kalimba, one of the tribe's commanders, encounters Donkey Kong and attempts to hypnotize him, but to no avail. Donkey Kong then punches Kalimba out of his house and begins his quest to reclaim his bananas and save the island from the new threat.

At the end of every world, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong go up against a higher-ranked tiki, who hypnotize a boss to fight both of them. For example, in the Cave world, the tiki commander Banjo Bottom employed Mole Miners to transport the stolen bananas and possessed their leader Mole Miner Max. In the Factory world, it is revealed that the bananas are being used to mass-produce tikis. After the Kongs defeat each boss, each tiki dizzily re-emerges from the unconscious boss. Donkey Kong can go up to the tiki and punch it repeatedly to send it flying away or simply let it escape after it recovers.

After a long journey, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong reach the end of the eighth world, Volcano, where they reencounter the Tiki Tak Tribe's commanders and meet their leader, Tiki Tong. Using the last of the stolen bananas, Tiki Tong grinds them into banana juice and spews it over his lieutenants. This transforms them into a large pair of hands, which Tiki Tong uses during the final battle against the Kongs.

The Kongs manage to defeat Tiki Tong, who explodes, launching them into space. However, Donkey Kong uses his entire strength to knock the moon out of its orbit and land it on the Tiki Tong Tower (if the player is playing as Diddy Kong, he instead futilely tries to flee the gravitational pull of the moon only to bump his head on it, accidentally knocking it out of orbit and doing the above in the process). The moon's pressure crushes the tower and destroys it, releasing the stolen bananas and sends the moon flying back into orbit. As the bananas rain from the sky, the animals are freed from their hypnosis. With their leader and his lieutenants defeated, the Tiki Tak Tribe's reign over the island is over, marking the end of the Kongs' adventure.

Super Smash Bros. series

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

A tiki mask resembling Kalimba on a Strong Greenie's spear

In Treacherous Mansion of Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Strong Greenies wield spears with a tiki mask resembling Kalimba on them and regular Greenies can appear with them in ScareScraper.

Screaming Pillars are notable for appearing 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

High-ranking

Artwork	Name	Description	Level appearance
	Kalimba	Kalimba is the first high-ranked tiki whom Donkey Kong encounters. Based on the mbira instrument, he is painted light blue on one half, red on the other and has a headband made of ropes. Kalimba is featured in the Jungle world. During the opening sequence, Kalimba encounters Donkey Kong and attempts to hypnotize him. This proves to be unsuccessful as Donkey Kong would proceed to repeatedly punch Kalimba and then send him flying out of his tree house. Kalimba later appears during the world's boss level, Mugly's Mound, where he hypnotizes Mugly to fight Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong.	Mugly's Mound
	Maraca Gang	The Maraca Gang are a trio featured in the Beach world. As their name suggests, the Maraca Gang are shaped like 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.	Pinchin' Pirates
	Gong-Oh	Gong-Oh is shaped similarly to 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.	Ruined Roost
	Banjo Bottom	Banjo Bottom, as his name suggests, is shaped like a banjo. He 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.	The Mole Train
	Wacky Pipes	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.	Mangoruby Run
	Xylobone	Xylobone is shaped like a xylophone and appears in the Cliff world. It appears in the boss level, Thugly's Highrise, hypnotizing Thugly to battle the Kongs.	Thugly's Highrise
	Cordian	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.	Feather Fiend
	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.	Tiki Tong Terror

Minions

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  Big Screaming Pillar

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  Big Tiki Zing

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  Fireball

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  Flaming Tiki Buzz

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  Giga Goro Ball

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  Screaming Pillar

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  Tiki Boing

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  Tiki Bomber

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  Tiki Buzz

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  Tiki Doom

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  Tiki Goon

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  Tiki Pilot

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  Tiki Pop

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  Tiki Seeker

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  Tiki Tank

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  Tiki Torch

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  Tiki Tork

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  Tiki Zing (Factory variant)

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  Tiki Zing

Unused

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  Unused fire-based Tikis

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  Unused large, drum-like Tiki and torch-like Tikis

Physical appearance

A Tiki's empty body

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

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. 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 the Factory world, it is shown that a Tiki can come to life when mashed-up bananas are incorporated into its 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.

Profiles and statistics

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U

Trophy Krazy Kalimba

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 spirit

Name	Image	Series / game	Type	Class	Strength / effect(s)	How to obtain	Spirit battle
							Opponent(s)	Battle conditions	Stage	Song
Tiki Tak Tribe		Donkey Kong Series	Primary (3)	Novice	Neutral Fire Weakness	World of Light (Light Realm); Spirit Board	Diddy Kong ×4	Take your strongest team into this no-frills battle	Kongo Falls	Jungle Hijinxs

Gallery

Group

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  The Tiki Tak Tribe's commanders

Emblem

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  Snippys' ship

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  Flag

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  Bicorne

Miscellaneous

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  Pillars

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  Column

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  Totems

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  Production

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  Temple

Theme

Tiki Tak Tribe

File infoMedia:Tiki Tak Tribe music.oga ​

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Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	ティキ族[?] Tiki-zoku	Tiki Tribe
Chinese	提克族[?] Tíkè Zú	Tiki Tribe
French	Tribu Tiki Tak[?]	Tiki Tak tribe
German	Tiki Tak-Stamm[?]	Tiki Tak's Tribe
Italian	Tribù Tiki Tak[?]	Tiki Tak Tribe
Portuguese (NOE)	Tiki Tak Tribe[?]	Tiki Tak Tribe
Russian	Племя Тики-так[?] Plemya Tiki-tak	Tiki Tak Tribe
Spanish (NOA)	Tribu Tiki Tak[?]	Tiki Tak Tribe
Spanish (NOE)	Tribu Tiki Tak[?]	Tiki Tak tribe

See also

Kremling Krew Snowmads