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 | ||
| |||
| |||
- “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 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, 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
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 into stealing 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
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 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
High-ranking
| Image | Name | Description
|
|---|---|---|
 |
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 of his body and red on the other, as well as having a headband made of a trio 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. |
 |
Maraca Gang[1] | 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][2] | 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] | Banjo Bottom, as his name suggests, is based on 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. |
 |
Wacky Pipes[1] | Wacky Pipes is the fifth high-ranked tiki encountered by the Kongs. It is based on the pan flute instrument, contradicting its name, and featured in the Forest world, more specifically in the boss level, Mangoruby Run, where it hypnotizes Mangoruby to fight the Kongs. |
 |
Xylobone[1][4] | 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] | 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 Tong's own pair of hands. |
Minions
Unused
Unused fire-based Tikis
Unused large, drum-like Tiki and torch-like Tikis
Physical appearance
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 #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
- 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.[5]
Gallery
Group
The Tiki Tak Tribe's commanders
Emblem
Snippys' ship
Flag
Bicorne
.png)
.png)
.png)
Miscellaneous
Pillars
Column
Totems
Production
Temple
.png)
.png){kind=small}
.png)
.png)
.png)
Theme
 Tiki Tak Tribe | File info |
Names in other languages
| 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 | |
| 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
References
- ^ 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.
