The population of Darwin is still cleaning up after – and news that could hit later this week is putting residents on edge.
Through it all, to get Darwin through trying times. The , a non-profit religious organisation founded in 2009, has been actively trying to help locals after the disaster struck.
The group originally started to connect Darwin’s growing number of Sikh families, but in the aftermath of Cyclone Marcus, its members have been providing vegetarian meals for all communities affected. On Sunday March 18, some of food were handed out at to people who had lost power and water in their homes.
According to Satpinder Singh, a spokesperson for the non-profit group, the initiative is a natural extension of langar, the Sikh ritual of providing a free meal to all temple visitors after prayer.
Gagan Singh (right) from the Sikh Association of Northern Territory helping out locals after the cyclone struck. Source: Sikh Association of Northern Territory
Singh explains that there was a prayer planned for the previous Sunday – but the cyclone struck and many people couldn't get to the event. “We had somebody lined up to do the cooking for langar," Singh says. He realised the unclaimed meals could be put to use. "So we decided to take the food and distribute it to whoever needed it.”
As word spread, hungry residents came in from the streets to collect containers of hearty lentil and potato curries and chickpea and rice dishes, while the association's volunteers drove around to suburbs affected by power outages to drop off food at individual homes.
On Sunday March 18, some 200 containers of food were handed out at Jingili Water Gardens to people who had lost power and water in their homes.
On Monday afternoon, Singh received a call from an elder living in a camp in an impoverished Aboriginal community 22 kilometres south of Darwin, where residents had extremely limited access to food. Singh turned up with a large supply of bread, cartons of water, milk, juice, jam, Nutella and apples.
For the association, Cyclone Marcus marks the beginning of a new phase of greater community outreach. “Up until now, we’ve been preoccupied with building up our community, securing land and finances to build our place of worship and a ,” Singh says. “Our focus from here on is to keep handing out, helping out and being a bigger part of the community. I’m very hopeful we will continue this.”
And, really, what better way to build community spirit than with food?
“Food is a basic essential of humanity,” Singh says. “It breaks down barriers and is a symbol of collaboration – of community helping community. A smile in light of all the issues a person is experiencing says it all. That’s the reward.”
Keep up to date with the group's, where the organisation will be posting news and information about its food drives.
