Discover Top Posts Tagged with #skux

I can't remember where it is now but a while ago I was reading an article written for an American audience that explained some of the slang that may be heard in New Zealand TV and movies (eg Taika Waititi joints), and I was struck by a really big error: they said "skux" means "thug." And I understand why someone might think that if they're not actually familiar with New Zealand English because probably the first place they heard it is in Hunt for the Wilderpeople when Ricky Baker says, "I didn't choose the skux life, the skux life chose me." And of course that's a paraphrase of the famous Tupac Shakur (Ricky's hero) quote, "I didn't choose the thug life, the thug life chose me," so one might naturally assume "skux" is just a localisation or equivalent of "thug."

but in fact

"skux" means cool, attractive, sexy, hunky. The etymology isn't 100% clear, as usual with slang, but it appears to have come from the Samoan word "sikaki," which means study. Chop the "y" off study and you have "stud." Chop the "i" off sikaki and you have "sikak," pronounced with the first syllable almost elided, "s'kak"/"skuk," and then a further "s" sound is added out of general linguistic playfulness and the whole thing ends up being spelled "skux." A skux is a hot guy. Ricky Baker isn't talking about being born into a criminalised underclass, he's saying he has no choice about being so attractive.

So just so you all know, if a New Zealander ever calls you a skux, they are complimenting you (or possibly gently making fun of you, we're like that).

We are also complimenting you if we call you a spunk. I don't know the etymology of that one, but a spunk is an attractive person. It's dated slang now but most people still understand it.

#skux #i do not typically call people skux because I'm a 40-something pākehā lady and it would be weird/embarrassing #but at least i understand it

MARCH 28, 2020 (#224)

Diat “Nausea”

Bikini Body “Hands Off”

True Dreams “Please Sir”

Mauno “Expectations”

Ganser “PSY OPS”

Necking “Big Mouth”

Editrix “All She Wants To Do Is Party”

Duckis “Issue”

Blessed “Rolled In Glass”

Vision 3D “Je Dois Le Faire”

Pom Pom Squad “Lux Lisbon”

Coriky “Clean Kill”

Palm “Heavy Lifting”

Deeper “Message Erased”

Serfs, The “Caged And Bond”

Free $$$ “Etc.”

Knife Wife “Silly Pony”

Lie’ “Drowning in Piss”

Strobobean “Keep It Together”

Black Midi “BmBmBm”

Control Top “Prism”

Spirits Having Fun “Destiny”

Essi “Fly By”

Ing “Dust”

Stuck “Era”

Omni “Underage”

Dead Finks “Bitter Pill”

M.A.Z.E. “Spread The Germicide” (re-recording)

P.E. “Compromised”

Not For You “Hiding”

Uranium Club “Two Things At Once Pt. 1″

Sinead O’Brien “A Thing You Called Joy”

Hash Redactor “Fish”

Shopping “All Or Nothing”

Lungbutter “Solar”

Skux “Kudis”

Es “Hidden Track”

We return with more new, recent, and current music for everyone. Tonight, Omega Radio says hello again to the post-punk / d.i.y. scene with two hours showcasing our favorite discoveries and much more.

New sounds from Bikini Body, Lié, Dead Finks, P.E., and Es.

Recent sounds from True Dreams, Mauno, Necking, Editrix, Duckis, Blessed, Vision 3D, Coriky, The Serfs, Free $$$, Knife Wife, Strobobean, Black Midi, Control Top, Spirits Having Fun, Essi, Omni, Not For You, Uranium Club, Sinead O’Brien, Hash Redactor, Shopping, Lungbutter, and Skux.

Omega returns to air on March 30, 2020 (midnight, New York City) as we fill-in for Purple Starlight for our next bonus broadcast.

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