Herr Tiki

Who I Am.

I am Herr Tiki, a name that arose from my love for Polynesian tattoo art and the Polynesian faith. I’m not a religious person, but it fascinates me – faith finds the humanity in us all, and continually seeks to make the world a better place than it was before. I also have a great love of music, especially punk and hardcore. For me, no other genre speaks so well to the changes happening in the world around us – there is a positive attitude toward life and self reflected in those musical styles, and I believe in “All day PMA (Positive Mental Attitude)”.

What I Do.

I’ve gone through many phases, and my life has undergone many changes, but I feel I’ve now arrived at a point where I can recognize how good I feel in the present moment. And I want to share this happiness, sharing with the people who have lost everything at the hands of exploitation, war, or devastation. I live by the adage, “Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something”, and therefore, I work as a volunteer for the Help Foundation, an NGO which has been created to help homeless shelters, aid with refugee assistance, help the people of Nakuru in Kenya, and many others.

Where I Live.

I was born and raised in Germany in the federal state of Hesse in a small village of only a thousand residents. I’ve since traveled quite a bit, and whether I’ll settle down or not yet remains to be seen. I believe “home is where your beard is.” For me, I feel at home around family and friends, and I can find them in various cities around Germany, and around the world. I’m drawn to the idea that people can find a sense of belonging anywhere; our world, our home.

Why I Beard.

I grew my first beard at 18 years old. The beard isn’t just part of some scene or trendy ideal of beauty. A beard has been synonymous with men for thousands of years. And even if one day the beard goes out of style, I will keep mine – my beard is part of who I am.