PLEASE DONATE TO SUPPORT THIS WEBSITE


 


Visit  Elvis Candlelight Network

 

The Tiki Statue

Not long after Elvis' death, Wanda June Hill received a phone call from songwriter with whom they shared a mutual friend -- Elvis Presley. This songwriter told her that Elvis had called him after his divorce from Priscilla, saying that if he would go and pick up some boxes at the LA house Pris was now selling, could keep the contents of these boxes. Elvis just did not want them thrown away, as this is what Priscilla was telling him she would do, if the boxes were not removed from the house. There were only I believe 2 or 3 boxes, and these the songwriter took into his possession. He was now calling Wanda to tell her that he would give her one of the boxes, which contained some apparent keepsakes. He intended to keep the other one or two boxes, which had within them some reel-to-reel tapes...some of which contained Elvis' informal jam sessions on them.

When Wanda looked inside the box the songwriter gave to her she found that it indeed contained items which would have been of sentimental value to Elvis. I have personally seen these items. One was a New Year's paper whistle (the kind that rolls out when you blow it). On it was written, "I Love Elvis, Priscilla". There were several ceramic poodles, which Wanda happened to know from Elvis that his mother had collected. The box also contained some rather cheap-looking 1950's-style jewelry, which I would imagine had belonged to Gladys. I can see her buying what she LIKED, even if it came from the dime store! The real treasures buried inside the box, though were the Tiki God statue and a small box containing a letter from Gladys to Elvis, tied with a ribbon. In this touching letter Gladys warns a young Elvis who was then on tour--probably in 1956: "Now son, remember not to go near any of those women or your liable to get real sick."

The Tiki God statue Wanda recognized, as she had seen it in Elvis' home in LA (forget which house) and Elvis had commented on it to her, saying that it was special to him and he meditated with it. Wanda felt that since he had meditated with this statue, it was a "spiritual" object for him and therefore I should have it. It is one of my most treasured possessions.

Several years after having been gifted the statue by Wanda, she called me to say that she had rented a new release of "Roustabout" and it had a previously unseen (by her) scene in it, where Elvis' character is being given back his possessions after a stay in jail. As he picks up each item he comments briefly on it before tucking it in his jacket. Lo and behold he picks up what could be none other than the little Tiki statue and declares to the policeman, "My lucky Tiki God." I rented the movie and saw this scene myself.
 


This is a website created strictly as a tribute to Elvis Presley. Elvis, Elvis Presley, Graceland and TCB are all registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises. I make no claim to Elvis Presley Enterprises, Elvis Presley, his music, videos or voice.

All flash presentations, creative art and text is copyrighted by Maia Nartoomid (and in some instances with text and documents, Wanda June Hill and JoAnna McKenzie) - all rights reserved.