Benefit concert for dance studio
A benefit concert will raise funds to rebuild a traditional Tongan dance studio destroyed in a house fire in Timaru last week.
The Amato family was left with very little, when fire ripped through their two-storey Wai-iti Rd home on October 13, with the fire service praising the actions of an 8-year-old boy in the home. He saw flames through a glass door in the home and alerted his family members before smoke alarms went off, about 9.30am.
The family – father Jimmy, mother Malia and six children – moved to Timaru earlier this year, buying the home from Mark and Jo Goodhew who have since taken the family in until they move to rental accommodation.
A large room in the house was used by Malia Amato for traditional Tongan dance and culture classes, with many of the traditional cultural items in the room lost in the fire, Jo Goodhew said.
Malia’s great-grandfather Vili Pusiaki was the choreographer for Sa¯ lote Tupou III, Queen of Tonga from 1918 to her death in 1965.
A concert to raise funds for the rebuild is planned for November 13 at the Waimataitai School hall, with performances from Pasifika, youth and kapa haka dance groups welcomed. Goodhew will MC the event.
Concert spokeswoman Leilani Fotofili said the mothers of the children who attended Malia’s classes had wanted to do something for the family.
‘‘We were very sad to hear about the fire but it’s so pleasing to see the community supporting them,’’ Fotofili said.
‘‘They are blessed to be in Timaru.’’ Fotofili said Malia’s classes were ‘‘positive’’ for children in the community with Tongan heritage.
‘‘It’s important as it is part of their culture.’’
She said about 20 children attended the classes.
She hoped as many people as possible attended the concert, with Waimataitai School having donated the hall for free.
A Givealittle page set up for the family, organised by Jimmy Amato’s employer SSA New Zealand, has raised $5525 so far.
The concert, from 5pm, is by gold coin entry.