May Day celebration banner

Costumes for the May Day holiday on Spontoon Island. The co-op members celebrate just before the start of the tourist season.

JackO'Lantern dance.

A Harvest Festival dance in the Spontoon Island archipelago in 1931. The Halloween spirits of the pumpkin crop are honored, and the pie baking is soon to begin. Mmmmm. Pie!

Sea Rescue by a patrol boat (circa 1935)

Perhaps there were too many passengers aboard the mysterious freighter ship?
A Rain Island Naval Syndicate patrol boat does a rescue at sea. Spontoon Island setting.

Union Maid beer ad (May Day 1937)

A poster for May Day on Spontoon Island in 1937. It is also an ad for "Union Maid" beer. "I'm sticking with my Union!"

Beachwear: Typical early 1930s

Mmmmmmm! Refreshing lemon drink ad (from Spontoon Island)!

Circa 1933: On the left, a lightweight cotton print 'sunsuit', sometimes used for swimwear.

The other swimsuits are knit wool. Women's have 'modesty panels' over short bicycle-brief legs. These male tops were called a 'speed' design (Trunks without tops were just starting to become acceptable.)

1937 May Day celebration poster

A typical poster for the May Day celebrations on the Spontoon Island Atoll in 1937. The major events are listed, such as family booths for holiday camp-outs, "flotillas" (a sail-by of decorated boats) circling one island, and a dance festival of European folk dancing (which is probably a ballroom dancing competition!). A female canine member of the local Hula-dancers Union is shown dancing at the festival. ("One Big Hula" is a teasing reference to the IWW "Wobbly" slogan stating one of that group's goals: "One Big Union".)

More information on this year's May Day celebration at the History page on the "Spontoon Island" website.

Behold! The Ceremonial Pumkinabal Head-hunters dancing before the primitive pumpkin tiki! "The horror! The horror! Mister Pumpkinhead: He jacknifed!"
A Spontoon Island postcard from 1930.

A low-tech tribe entertains visitors (and entertains themselves, too). An isolated island in the greater Spontoon Archipelago sometime between 1910 and the early 1930s. Low-tech can include treadle sewing machines.

"Miss Nell Littlefoot and her Bellanca aircraft 'SORI Lady' at the end of the Eastern Island runway, just after completing her long-distance flight (Chicago to Spontoon Island) in 1931. Her navigator was in later pictures, when they were able to wake him up.

"Nell is overcome with awe, admiring her award from the Standard of Rhode Island company, the "Oil Over The Waves" Oil Dispenser Trophy. Her mood became more cheerful when she found out the 2-gallon oil can base was stuffed full of 20-dollar gold certificates.

"This version of her autographed photo was only used for a short time."

"Every hula tells a story."
On Spontoon Island, in 1935, the seaplane mechanics have their own hulas. Here's a mechanic rehearsing for a union luau in traditional tune up (& summer dance) costume (without the steel-toed safety sandals). More dancers at the Spontoon Island website.

Spontoon Island: The sometime tourist guide, Minja'hi, is here wearing her 'street performer' makeup & patterns: So, rather than actually showing you how to wear a sarong, she must be starting her infamous "Sarong Routine". The next 5 minutes are quite Educational.

Spontoonie student, Valia, co-studies for high school juggling class with Mark Rochard. Mark is a hit with his juggling skills. Mark Rochard is a character of Tony VonKrag, and used with permission.

Chef "Hank" Rochard leading a toast at a catered birthday party in the Marleybone Grand Hotel, Casino Island, Spontoon Atoll. Photo taken in 1934. Chef Rochard is a character created by Tony VonKrag, and used with permission.
Website for Spontoon Island: <http://spontoon.rootoon.com>

A Spontoon Island pinup photo of Maggie Rochard, 1937. The photo went to the British Embassy for extra processing to bring out the details on that German seaplane. 8) Margaret Rochard is a character created by Tony VonKrag and used with permission.
Spontoon Island website: <http://spontoon.rootoon.com>

A volunteer tests the HulaRamba hula enhancer. A Califur sketchbook commission -- thanks to Tibo!

Immerse yourself in that 1930s tekno tiki beat and Charlston the night away!

I'm not sure if you would want Minja-Hi to memorialize your visit in skit and song: Best to be considerate of your native companions during your Spontoon Island vacation. Aloha!

Swim under the sea in a quiet lagoon and make new friends! It helps if you bring lunch.

Miss Wildford, daring aviatrix. Within a few years she was teaching her adventuring survival skills to a new generation at the Songmark Aeronautical Academy for Young Ladies, on Spontoon Island.

It's said that there aren't any real coconut trees on Spontoon Island. This coconut harvest must be somewhere else.

Before there were glow-sticks, you could dance with tiki-torches and kerosene lanterns. Spontoon Island.

An island in the 400 Keys Atoll, in the Spontoon Island setting. A temple with toon tikis.

Spontoon Island Atoll: Rooftop picnic view of Casino Island streets at noon. This is in one of the business areas near the ferry docks, looking northeast towards Moon Island and Eastern Island.
More views at <http://spontoon.rootoon.com>

Constable Station (& telephone exchange (server)) in a village on Spontoon Island. If you don't have a phone, you can use the fee one here for emergencies and contacting committee officers.
More village life at <http://spontoon.rootoon.com>

Staff of the co-op Resort Denhaut, 1930s on the South Island of the Spontoon Island Atoll.

Silky Parrant is *The French Citizen Co-Op Chef*, and don't you forget it. 'Toma Thumb', Polynesian Spontoonie from the Main Island, doubles as driver & social director. Halola-ti is a Spontoonie from a family on Casino Island, and enjoys how laid-back South Island can be. During busy times, more workers may be called from the local villages.

Staff of the 'Resort Denhaut' co-operative on Spontoon Island in the 1930s. The job notations show their lead responsiblities, but since the number of staff is so small, they have a routine of stepping in to assist as needed. As an example, 2 or 3 of the other staff may help the chef and server at meals, if needed. Guests may find themselves helping, too! A guest who wishes to act as a part of this resort family might be surprised to find how open they can be.

Constance still enjoys her French citizenship but is a Spontoon resident. Sororiti is Scandinavian Spontoonie, fostered by a Polynesian cultured family. Jiataji-Ni is a member of one of the South Island Polynesian culture fox clans.

A 1930s vacation resort on the South Island of the Spontoon Islands atoll. This is the main building, with front desk, lounge, porches, and dining areas. Guests sleep in cabanas scattered around the resort. This is typical of several small tourist resorts on South Island.

Founded as a co-operative in 1931 by Constance LaCarme, a seaplane pilot for the French airline, AeroPostal.

If your furry or funny animal characters are interested in booking a cabana sometime in the 1930s, contact the Spontoon Island Tourist Board.

Edy Loddis playing a Priestess for Spontoon Island 'Custom' role-playing. The islanders started out doing 'custom' as a way to tease visiting anthropologists, but the elaborate Polynesian fantasy became part of the island culture -- and a tourist attraction.

Edy Loddis is a Syndic for the contracted military unit, the Rain Island Naval Syndicate. She sometimes takes vacation time to play 'custom' for a week or two. She looks to be one of the many demure Moon Priestesses, which is very ironic, given her reputation for making mischief when off-duty. She's holding a ceremonial spontoon, but I'm not sure what the small banner means....

A cargo boat unloads at night in a harbor of Orpington Island. The Captain and her Crew may not get damaged, but they sure will surprised at how much the customer wants their cargo.

Some of the tribal religions here are a bit over-enthusiastic, and the Duckites seem to prefer things to be livelier than really necessary.

The DrumbaHine Band performing at the Coconut Shell theater (Spontoon Island Casino) in 1936.