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Tiki Central / General Tiki / Does anyone know anything about the Zamboanga?

Post #74648 by Sabu The Coconut Boy on Thu, Feb 5, 2004 12:21 PM

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Rattiki - That menu that was just auctioned off was definitely from the same place. Here's the picture:


I'm an avid collector of all things having to do with the Zamboanga, but don't know much about the actual club myself. I'd love to know some of the history, since it was a local joint. I have that menu, several postcards, a napkin and a matchbook. Here's one of the postcards, showing one of the most beautiful murals I've ever seen. (Wish I could see it in color).



The Zamboanga obviously was not a place for children or the prudish.

As early as 1935, there was a book entitled "The Monkeys Have No Tails in Zamboanga", by Capt. S.P. Meek. It was about American soldiers who were stationed in the Far-east at that time. The joke in the book was that if you cut off a monkey's tail, it could pass for a Filipino. (Remember, this was a very racially insensitive era).

Either at that time, or even possibly during WWII, U.S. sailors stationed in the Phillipines made up this little ditty:

"Oh, the monkeys have no tails in Zam-bo-an-ga
Oh, the monkeys have no tails in Zam-bo-an-ga
Oh, the monkeys have no tails, they were bitten off by whales,
Oh, the monkeys have no tails in Zam-bo-an-ga"

I've heard John Wayne sing it in the movie, "Donovan's Reef". I've also heard the Beav' sing it in an episode of "Leave it to Beaver".

Thus the name of the club and it's signature drink, "The Tailess Monkey". (or so I assume). Which probably meant the club was built during or just after the war. I have no idea how long it lasted - the fact that there seem to be no color images leads me to believe it either didn't last long, or became more of a dive-bar in the later years. Like I said, I'm interested in any history of this Hollywood club.

Sabu