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The 2023 theme of Freemasons Victoria Grand Master Anthony Bucca is ‘Bringing Happiness To Others’. It is a theme that has been well applied to the Wakanyanas aim over 107 years of assisting Cottage By The Sea.
The Wakanyanas founders – Tom Sealey, Jack Kelsall and Harry Hirst – started the funds rolling with some small change in 1916. Since than more than $175,000 has been raised and donated by the Wakanyanas days to supporting Cottage By The Sea.
In the early days of the Wakanyanas get-together, there was a crayfish supper, with Freemasons in informal clothes – strictly, not ties – presided over by a Big Chief, and controlled by a Mis-Director.
Many methods of raising money have taken place over the years, including races on the Front Beach at Point Lonsdale, sand castle building and treasure hunt, and a tarpaulin collection at the beach. In order to attract people, the Dinner Bell (an old ship’s bell) from the Terminus Guset House was used.
Tennis and bowls competitions were organised, as well as a healthy competition between guest houses. Many generous donations were made over the years. A community doorknock was held. A New Years Day party for the Cottage children – each receiving sweets and ice creams – involved games and races.
Guest speakers at the Wakanyanas over the years have included the Rev. Chris Goy, Professor Sir Lance townsend, Professor Laurie McCredie, Ken Brown of Rhetoric Lodge, Sir Hubert ‘Oppy’ Opperman, Judy Patching, Red Talbot, John Sullivan , Norm Martin, Ron Blaskett and Gerry Gee.
The Wakanyanas has been held at the Queenscliff Masonic Centre since 1943.
The event has also been accompanied with a respectful nod to Australian aboriginal lore, with Wakanyanas meaning ‘Love in Plenty’.
The ‘tribe’ came together each year with their ‘corroboree’, many of the visitors coming from across Victoria. In decades past, they were termed ‘Walkabout Men’.
An early press article said: “The corroborree, misdirected by a band of self-seeking elders, often gets out of hand until thge culprits are brought to order by the ‘Big Chief’ backed by the fedup but vocal tribesmen whose racucous calls of ‘Aramona’ (sit down) set them back on their heels. After a self appointed ‘Yac Yac’ has been forced to finish his yabba yabba, the relieved tribesmen settle down to a crayfish supper and ‘Boonanara’ (it’s good to be in the South) puts them in a contented and genrous frame of mind.
“Through the years, the ‘Tribe’ has harboured a mixed bag of didjeriduers, thunder stick droners, debil dodgers, witch doctors, scouts, trackers and spear throwing ‘Yac Yac’ men, among them being Bob Menzies who declared, when stones rained on the roof at Point Lonsdale, that the Philistines had desceneded upon the tribesmen: Tom White, the Turk trickster; Tom Holloway, the poll splitters; Oppy, the pedal pusher; cricket enthusiasts ‘Walkabout Walker’ and ‘Mia Mia’ Towns who always need when to draw stumps.”
