The owner of Tropicana Nightclub and President of the Samoa Nightclub Association, Falanaipupu Dan Aiafi is calling on the Liquor Board to extend opening hours for nightclubs during the weekend, predominantly for Friday night, to help alleviate financial strain ahead of the Economic Stimulius Forum to be held on the 27th of March. Acknowledging the cultural importance of Sunday, he said Saturday closing time should remain the same (currently midnight). As far as Falanaipupu is aware, no nightclub has closed down as a result of the recession, however business has been slow during the week, the usually packed out venue is now seeing more floor space during the week and the crowds seem to be packing in only on the weekends. “Perhaps Government workers are on contract more these days and need to perform the next day at work” he speculated. Hmm, an intelligent reason, given that its a widely accepted fact that Government workers are spending Government money, time and resources at work being hungover from wild nights at Tropicana or their Nightclub of choice. The fact that he is asking for an opening time extension, a week before the forum seems to be a waste of time, if it is approved (which it hasn’t) he would have an extension of only one friday before the forum the following week. A bit late. And in no way would an extra 2 hours of Government workers drinking help stimulate an economy, if they banned Government workers from drinking, it might help productivity in the lazy offices of Apia and we might finally get somewhere.
The infamous late night hot spot every weekend Now that the club was shut down, it seems like it is part of history. A place that brought instant memories of deniably good times. The purple building located on the Hume highway is greatly missed by many people, I think it existed throughout two to three generations. It catered for the Samoans, Tongans, Fijians and other pacific islanders. I remember many years ago when I was just a kid I use to see this purple isolated building with graffiti on it. I use to think it was some abandoned witch house, but little did I know it was a popular hang out for islanders. Growing up I would hear mum tell me to never go to that place because it’s full of crazy people. Then I figured that mum has been there because how else would she know that…if it was true (lol). I always heard that it was the place to go and relax after dancing the night away at other clubs like good ol’ Collingwood in Liverpool better known as ‘Collos’. I have a few older cousins who talk about their nights at Skelsys. Sound to me like it was a good place to go to but not something you’d tell others about, maybe because they weren’t allowed to go there that night, or maybe because Skelsys was one of those embarrassing joints to be found at. Ok so I went one night (lol) but I didn’t think we were going til we got there. After I power chucked my guts out from drinking like a hero at a mates’ place I felt refreshed and excited to get inside this club. I was curious because I have heard so much about this place. But offcourse I couldn’t experience the ‘skelsy feel’ until I met the security guards at the door. Typical big boned Samoan men stood outside checking I.D. I was worried because I brought my sister along who was then 16 years old well and truly underage. She used my high school I.D and got in without any problem which was weird because we do not look anything alike and since when did high school I.Ds become eligible? I didn’t question it ofcors but when it came to my turn the security guard shook his head and thought it was a fake (lol yeah right, what a joke) so he asked me to wait aside for further questioning. After answering some relevant and irrelevant questions I was allowed inside. It was true, the security guards are nice but are just as seedy as the club itself ha-ha. The place was so ugly. Besides the crapy car park (park anywhere on the grass/gravel or even at the petrol station next door lol) The toilets had blue lights inside which to me indicated that it use to be a common drug room. The bar is sooo small for such a well known place, the crowd were sooo old (for me lol I could see my uncle hanging here), the walls had texta marks and ripped posters from the 70s, and the music was just…so very familiar. It instantly took me back to the times my uncles would have a drink up out the back of the house when I was younger. Just as I was getting put off from the surroundings of the joint, the music just made my blood rush through my veins with such excitement. I ran to the dance floor and boogied to every Whitney Houston, Ardijah, Johnny Nash, Tuiteka songs that the d.j played. When those old samoan and tongan songs came on there would be a stampede of people rushing to the dancefloor…ahaha good times. It was then that I realised why this was a great place to chill out. Yeah I can also see why people deny ever going to Skelsys but it definitely had that comfort thing about it. The music, the people and the security guards ha-ha. Yeah there was the usual old guy who stood against the wall staring, and the usual young guys who wanted a dance, and the usual group of girls who would give evil looks all night, locals and regulars, the dance offs, laughs, fights, police check ups ha-ha which was all part of the night club scene. I had fun but I would never admit to it ha-ha. I still tell people that I have never been to Skelsys LOL. Will there ever be another Skelsys? Where do people go after spending the night at Collos? It will be a long time til we find such a place. But if there is one let me know ha-ha.
