In the space of barely a year we have sadly lost two stalwarts
of our community – Alexandros (Lex) and Matina Kanakis. They were highly
visible for the prominent businesses they ran in the Ingham district and for
their out-going personalities and engagement with the wider community. They were
also of Greek nationality. Lex was born in Ingham to Greek immigrants. Matina immigrated as a young woman from Greece. Greek immigrants have contributed
much to Australia’s multi-cultural way of life.
I have been given permission to share the eulogy given by family at Lex’s funeral. For those who would like to read on there is also a little about Greek migration to Australia and to Ingham.
Alexandros (Lex) Kanakis was born 28th June 1933 to Emmanuel and Koulla Kanakis at the Italian Hospital in Ingham. Lex's parents had migrated to Ingham from the Greek Island Crete. Emmanuel had established multiple businesses in North Qld, including the Majestic Cafe. Lex grew up at 36 Atkinson Street in the Kanakis family home which is an architecturally designed Queenslander with art nourveau influences.
Lex's younger siblings Harry and Mary had a Scottish nanny. Even in his later years, Lex could still recite the Scottish nursery rhyme taught to him as a baby. The children were boisterous, competitive, and playful. Tragedy struck when Lex's father died suddenly. It was 1941 and Lex was eight years old. Lex's mother Koulla was left to raise the three children on her own. Life changed quickly but Lex was loved and cared for by his mother.
Lex's best friends growing up were Adrian Keyes and Tommy Martin. Tommy remained a close friend until the end with regular phone calls. Growing up Tommy and Lex would ride wild horses and ride their bikes to the top of the Cardwell Range. Later, Lex went to All Souls Boarding School in Charters Towers. His mother would prepare care packages filled wiht homemade goodies and take the train to Charters Towers to visit him and his brother Harry.
At 17, Lex bought a new car it was his pride and joy as he was the first of his friends to buy a car. Cars played a large part of Lex's life from the International Truck to the 1964 EH Holden station wagon to the Ford Fairlanes, Lex loved his cars and was known for his lead foot. As a young man, Lex enjoyed fishing and crabbing with the Girgenti brothers at Mungabulla and would speak of how they would cook mudcrabs and drink whisky from the nippers. In 1953, Lex was dispatched to the Brisbane Oxley Barracks for National Service Training. Lex enjoyed his time in National Service. It was a time of great growth.
During the fifties, Lex and his family would drive to Innisfail for the Greek dances. It was there he met his future wife, the beautiful Matina. Matina had arrived form Greece to be with her friend Voulla. Lex and Matina married in 1959 and moved into the Kanakis family home. Three children Manole, Van and Kerry quickly followed. A granny flat was built onto the house for his mother Koulla who lived there for 50 years.
After leaving school, Lex took up a plumbing apprenticehip with Stephensons. After completing his apprenticeship and at the age of 21, Lex set up his own plumbing business with all the bravo and confidence of youth. Looking back over that time Lex could not believe he took such a big step without any idea of how to run a business. Over the years numerous apprecitices owuld come through the business. Including David Hogan, Peter Glover, Louie Sossai and his sons Manole and Van. In 1970, while repairing the gutters at the Noorla Hotel, Lex had a life changing accident when he fell over 7 metres from the roof. Lex had serious injuries which required a long period of rehabilitation. The business continued operating with Lex's staff while Matina had to learn to write English to do the books.
Lex's forte was installing Southern Cross Windmills across the district and many farms to this day have the three-legged 7 to 16 metre windmills towering over their fields. Back in those days, farmers' wives would supply lunches, morning and afternoon teas to tradsmen or a shot of brandy if you were hurt. In his later yers, Lex couldn't believe he had outlived many of the windmills.
Lex was a dedicated Rotarian. Together with his Rotarian friends, Sam La Spina and Noel McClintock, Lex would volunteer at many events. Including the Ingham Toy Factory, food stalls at the Ingham Show, Maraka and Ingham driver reviver. Lex was the proud recipient of the Paul Harris Fellowhsip for his voluntary work and dedication to Rotary.
In 1983, Lex and Matina bought back the Majestic cafe. They worked in the cafe for 30 years with Lex in charge of public relationships. Matina was an exceptional and creative cook and Lex would often say he had married the best cook this side of the black stump. Lex would be seen talking, regaling stories, or gossiping out the front of the cafe in his signature unbuttoned open tropical shirt and white singlet. Lex loved his food and was a true foodie. When Lex spoke of his travels it was always in terms of food he ate. Together with Matina they would travel to food and wine shows.
Lex continued to keep busy in his retirement. When asked what he was doing now, Lex would reply, "running around after Kerry's kids". Which was true. Lex was extremely proud of his children and grandchildren's achievements.
In his later years, Lex cared for Matina as her memory failed. Lex continued to adore Matina and at the age of 85, finally learnt to cook to care for his bride. As they aged, many wonderful individuals came into their lives for support. His carer John Alappatt was a faithful companion and support worker. The family would like to sincerely thank John Alappatt, the Rondoletti neighbours, Tracey Trecco, Livia Monahan and Susan Barret for their care and support.
Lex and Matina were often seen holding hands and Lex remained besotted with her until the end. The loss of Matina last year saw Lex's health decline. He died after a short illness with his grandson Jack Russo by his side. The family would like to thank you all for sharing your lives with Lex. They are grateful to have had him as a father and grandfather. Lex's quick wit, storytelling, and support will be greatly missed. They were lucky to have him in our [sic] lives.
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| Photographs from funeral booklet provided by Kanakis family |
Besides Italians, Greek, Spanish and Spanish-Basque, and
Maltese people immigrated to this district in significant numbers beginning in
the late 1800s, early 1900s. They worked in the cane fields, replacing the
Melanesian indentured and time-expired labourers, and the Chinese workers. The Greeks
and the other Southern Europeans were considered to be more ‘racially’ suited
to working in the tropics than Northern Europeans. Though the migration of
Finnish people here who also cut cane proved that to be a nonsense!
The first Greeks to arrive in Australia may have come as
convicts in the late 1820s. By the 1850s other were arriving: sailors and
deckhands of sailing ships who jumped ship and who found work in Australia on
coastal shipping boats and as wharf labourers. Others were drawn to the gold
fields. By 1900 only about 1 000 people of Greek nationality resided in Australia,
but these were scattered across the country and engaged in a variety of
occupations. There were graziers, farmers and small-business operators and cafes
owners. Preceding World War 1 the numbers increased greatly with 1 000 In
Sydney alone and 400 in Queensland.
From a census taken in 1916 there was a significant number
of Greek males living in Ingham and Halifax either working as cane cutters,
cooks or as restaurant keepers in their own right. Initially, few women arrived
from Greece.
Continued political unrest in Greece drove up emigrant
numbers but by the 1920s a quota on migration had closed off a favored destination,
the USA. Australia became the alternative destination. Greek immigrants took up
residence not only in capital, but provincial cities and in small towns in
rural areas, including the sugar towns of north Queensland. Conducting cafes was
a particular business they were identified with and so everywhere, it seemed,
there sprang up Busy Bee or Blue Bird Cafes, Paragon and Majestic Cafes and
Bellevue Cafes! And so in Ingham, true to the trend, Greek immigrants opened
the White Rose and the Majestic Cafes.
Once Greeks took up residence in Townsville informal social,
cultural, and religious activities were arranged which the Ingham Greeks would
attend. In nearby Innisfail, the second Greek Orthodox Church in Queensland was
built in 1935. Until the Saints Theodores Church was opened in Townsville
(after World War 2) a visiting priest from Innisfail would conduct services in
the Anglican St James’ Cathedral. It was there or in Innisfail that Ingham Greeks
would go if they wished to observe the ritual observances according to the
Orthodox rites.
After World War 2 thousands of Greeks came to Australia and
the Commonwealth Government conducted an Australian Migration Office in Athens
in the 1950s to facilitate the passage of those wishing to migrate to
Australia. In the years 1961 to 1966 alone, 140 000 Greeks migrated to
Australia. Ingham was one of the few northern towns that continued to receive small
numbers of Greek immigrants in that time.
(Source: Bianka Vidonja Balanzategui, Herbert River Story (Ingham: Hinchinbrook Shire Council, 2011)
