He Aituā
Tama Graham
Max Matehe
Isiah Laurie-Waaka.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Renata Manning on completing his certificate in cookery with distinction at Aoraki Polytechnic. Renata was awarded the City Guild.
Dion’s Kai Kart thanked for their assistance during the earthquake
With all the excitement of the Hui-ā-iwi 2012 last year, and a magnificent success I must add; the marae opening for our hapū Tūāhuriri, which also blew us all away; I missed the opportunity of hearing about my younger siblings Donna and Dion’s achievements until I returned to the Waikato. We are extremely proud of them and the work that they have achieved.
The honourable intentions of helping the many earthquake victims are beyond words. I understand a lot of the food came from my siblings own pockets and Ngāi Tahu. Therefore we would like to thank Ngāi Tahu for their contribution in assisting the earthquake victims with cooked food from Dion’s Kai Kart. It is difficult for my younger brother Dion who has struggled to find employment in areas that would suit the whānau, instead of trying to fit whānau into socially engineered employment. For Māori ‘one size does not fit all’. For most Māori being Māori comes with a price, ‘poverty’ unless we can resolve systemic choke holds against Māori initiatives. As for my sister it has been difficult finding employment because of her health problems with high blood pressure. Working in Dion’s Kai Kart has given Donna a sense of pride and motivation, which is her way of contributing back to the whānau and local community. As their whānau I have never felt more proud of my siblings than when I received this newspaper clipping below in a letter from my mum Rawiria (Cherie) Reihana/Timothy last week.
Nā Rosey-Eve Tangaroawahi-Timothy.
Kai kart finds highway home
By Esther Ashby-Coventry
Dion’s Kai Kart has finally found a permanent home and place to do business, back where it started – in Temuka.
Engineer and builder Dion Timothy built the kart to sell three years ago but could not find a buyer.
His sister Donna was looking for work at the time so he offered her the job of running it. She has a history of working in food preparation and spent her first kai kart shift at the Temuka Christmas Parade.
Dion tried to get resource consent for a long-term site in Temuka but it was not forthcoming. The only place they were permitted was at Caroline Bay during the carnival, so the pair headed to Christchurch.
After selling at one market, within a week they had built up to five, Riccarton, Aranui, Linwood, Cranford St and Spreydon.
When the earthquake struck in September 2010 cutting power they used their generator to feed the hungry freely that evening at Aranui.
They met an MP two days later and asked for volunteers and money to restock, so they could continue freely feeding earthquake victims but they were not given either.
Despite the devastation members of the public would arrive with baking for the siblings to distribute and Ngāi Tahu gave them $250.
As more hardship set in people would fight in the queue outside the kai kart.
“I told the men they would have to go at the back of the queue and mums and kids at the front.
“I told the men there may not be enough food for them but they just had to harden up.”
Despite the lack of Government help they continued giving for the next four weeks, including milk and nappies to mothers with babies, until they ran out of money.
Dion says, “It was my koha [gift].”
He is not angry about the missed opportunities but felt more could have been done if he had been supported.
His generous spirit comes from a near-death experience and this is the reason he donates half the profits to Woman’s Refuge, Christchurch City Mission and the Salvation Army.
“As long as it stays afloat that’s good enough for me.”
Fifteen years ago while working on a building site in Australia he fell down a shaft. He didn’t realise he’d broken his leg and heel so continued to work.
“I did karate and had a high tolerance to pain.”
Later his injuries caused gangrene and septicaemia which nearly killed him.
It was this experience that made him re-evaluate his hedonistic lifestyle.
“I worked out what was important in life – shelter and family.”
As well as continuing to work as an engineer and builder he is happy to play a support role to his sister at the kai kart.
Source: Timaru Herald, December 5, 2012: p, 40. By Esther Ashby-Coventry; [email protected].
Family business: Siblings Dion and Donna Timothy sit outside Dion’s Kai Kart on family land beside the highway heading south of Temuka.