We have told you of the Pre-Modern Era and of the cataclysmic events in 1964 which gave birth to Lumawaki and the sacred rituals of the Lodge. Now it is time to learn about the early years, the years when the rites of the Lodge were codified in the memories of the Brethren. For it is true that these rites and rituals, these ceremonies held so sacred, are written down no where. They are passed on through the oral tradition of the Lodge. Even here, in these Web pages, the rituals will not be described --- partly to preserve their secret nature, but mostly because they are too childish to describe in public.
While we dare not describe the sacred rituals, we can tell you that, in these early years, in the dark and stormy week between Christmas and New Year's, the roasters traveled to the banks of the Unami, to the Hotel called the "Sumney", there to partake of the roasted donkey, the zorch, the sacred boova shenkel and all the other delicacies that weighed down the table of the "Great Org". The celebrants traveled from afar [that is, if you consider Philadelphia far away] to reach the Roast. Many of the pilgrims (including the dreaded "South Philly contingent") were first required to visit the "White Tower," a semi-important shrine associated with the early years of the brotherhood. Only after waiting for long hours in the bitter cold were they permitted to continue their journey to the Sacred Site, hard by the rushing waters of the Unami Creek, in the village of Sumneytown.
Each year, the company gathered in the darkened (albeit "friendly") confines of the Sumneytown Hotel's main (and only) dining room, in awe of the groaning table burdened by the victuals comprising the "Great Org". To view a listing of the traditional "Bill of Fare", simply click on the highlighted words. It is impossible to separate the sacred rites of the Lumawak from the feasting of "The Great Org". But eating was not the only ritual endeavor of the Lodge. There was, of course, beer drinking (but this was only after everyone turned 21, we swear, and there were always designated drivers ready to insure the safety of the homeward-bound travelers). As with all good Lodges, the activities of each annual meeting were tightly scripted. This roll-call of activities was published anew each year on an artfully-embellished "Program". While the fragile nature of the surviving documents makes it impossible for them to be replicated on this web site (To say nothing of the copyright infringement problems that would ensue ...) the listing has been replicated. It can be accessed by clicking here.
Yes, these early years were good years, as the young Brethren moved on to college and the beginning of their adult lives. How were they to know that a dark cloud hung ominously on the horizon?
As with all historic epochs, it is difficult to succinctly define the "Early Years" of the Lodge. When does one era end and another begin? That is a question best answered by historians and archeologists. But one event stands as a watermark in the evolution of the Lodge and it, more than any other, defines it's time, as it defines also the end of the early years. For all of the early years, the Lodge brothers were welcomed to the Sumney by our "gracious hosts", Russell & Queenie, Russell manning the bar and Queenie rolling dish after family-style dish out of an apparently limitless kitchen. But then, without warning, the Sumney changed hands. For a single year, the Lodge brothers tried to inculcate the new, young proprietor with the depth and intricacy of our needs, but it was clearly not a match. The Lodge needed a new home!
As we noted above, it is often difficult to point to a single event which cleanly defines the end of one era and the birth of another. But the move from the Sumney to our new home stands as the obvious border between the "Early Years" and the "Glory Years" of the Lodge. So, from an historical standpoint, it should be easy to date the transition, right? There's one slight problem, however. No one in the organization is exactly clear when the Lodge moved its rites from the Sumney to our new home. (Yeah, yeah, we'll get around to telling you where the new place is, but we're saving it for the next page.) There is clear documentary evidence that the First Tenth Annual Donkey Roast (not to be confused with the Second or Third Tenth Annual ...blah, blah, blah... ) was held in the new locale in 1973. But was this the first post-move Roast? No one knows (or no one's telling.)
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