Chookas

Your almost right Christine!
Except it is an ocker term exclusively.
I tried to search for a post I put on the previous forum eons ago, but nothing?
I first came across it at the old firm of JCW’s way back in a prestroke life.
There was a poem that went with it, but I can’t remember it now.
The bit I do recollect is the complete term is ‘Tio Tio Tio Chookas’ loosely meaning ‘With hear & sole. May you always play to a full house’
Also the actions which go with the poem, were using your right hand, pat your left heart 3 times with the words ‘tio’ & jump up on ‘Chookas’.
There are still a few old members of the ‘Firm’ & possibly some still on the perch, that played the ‘halls’  back in the 1900’s. Who may remember the old poem?
But Chookas was derived during the days of the ‘Halls’. At a time when it was considered a delicacy to have a meal of chook & it could cost almost a good weeks pay, unless you were lucky enough to be in digs that had them in the back yard.
At best the ‘Coolgardie safe’ or if the Iceman cometh, was the only way to keep meat generally.
On the halls & indeed with most theatre productions performance fees paid depended on the box office take for the performance, Much the same as little jonny would like to do & virtually come in full circle - so there is nothing new there in the IR laws!
Apparently the SM or Manager would check the house before the ‘Beginners Ready’ cue & advise if they were to have chook to night or not. Hence the call would go around back stage, something like "chook it is" tonight everyone, which became shortened to chookas after a while.
Supposedly’ Tio Tio Tio’ was added with the influx of European performers around that ttime, suggested to mean ‘With heart & sole’!
This would also falls in line with the old chook raffles of the time, when the publican or whoever was running it,  would create interest in the raffles by continually calling out various things from chooks to chookas!
For those interested I hope it helps?

Chookas 

{hear the light & see the sound}