Cyclone Fina: How a Sikh food van sparked community-led relief in Darwin

When Cyclone Fina left thousands in Darwin without power or food supplies, Tejinder Pal Singh mobilised his food van and hit the streets, delivering free hot meals especially to Aboriginal families and emergency crews. His social media posts inspired locals to join the relief effort, including a school teacher and a local mother, strengthening community bonds in the aftermath.

Tejinder Pal Singh and community volunteers bring hot meals to Darwin residents during and after Cyclone Fina, as cleanup efforts continue. Credit: Tejinder Pal Singh, Darwin

Key Points

• Tejinder Singh’s Sikh Food Van served hundreds of free meals during Cyclone Fina.
• Locals like Hollie and Louise joined after seeing his Facebook posts.
• 'People are completely exhausted, but Territorians displayed incredible community spirit and resilience', said Louise, a school teacher.

For Tejinder Pal Singh, known widely across Darwin as the turbaned man behind the Sikh Family Food Van, responding to a crisis is not an act of charity but a way of life shaped by the Sikh principle of 'seva', or selfless service.

“I've lived here for around 18 years. This is the third cyclone I’ve seen,” he said.

“This time, we prepared early. I had already stored almost half a tonne of rice and enough groceries to make at least 500 meals per day across 10 days for the needy.”

As Tejinder posted updates on Facebook about where he would be distributing meals, his relief effort started drawing unexpected support, people who had watched the cyclone unfold and simply wanted to help.

A local mother Hollie volunteering during the cyclone. Credit: Tejinder Pal Singh

Among the first was Hollie, a Darwin local, mother of five and grandmother to five children. Despite managing a household full of young ones, she showed up at the food van to help me with the meals.

“She didn’t think twice,” Tejinder recalls. “She had so much on her plate, but still came forward to help others.”

Another volunteer was Louise, a long-time Territorian and school teacher, who had spent years working in Aboriginal communities.

“I just like to help people when they’re in need,” she told SBS Punjabi.

“I’d heard little things about the Sikh Family Food Van before, but it was during the cyclone that I saw Tejinder’s posts — saying ‘If you need food or help, just let me know.’ That’s when I decided to volunteer.”

Loiuse, a school teacher with Tejinder and his volunteers.

“The noise of the cyclone was like a freight train right over you and the preparation for the cyclone really exhausted most of the people," she said.

“The Sikh family supports anybody and everybody,” she said. “But what I love is that they make an extra effort to make sure Aboriginal people, who’ve experienced so much disadvantage have food and water. It’s a very, very beautiful gesture for our community.”

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