Matariki Encourages us to Reflect on Our Choices and the Future Those Choices Create
Recently, I found myself looking at waste through a very different lens.
Over King’s Birthday weekend, Wāhi Tukurua took part in the Community Garage Sale, and I volunteered at the clothing stall.
Over a few hours, I watched dozens of garments find new homes. Many were in excellent condition.
Some looked barely worn. A few still had their original tags attached. It was heartening.
But what stayed with me afterwards wasn’t what we sold. It was what remained.
Back at the Mercury Bay Resource Recovery Centre, more than 70 boxes of clothing sit stored in the rafters, all clean, wearable, and waiting for a second chance. Speak to almost any local op shop and you’ll hear a similar story.
The challenge isn’t finding clothing. The challenge is finding enough people to wear it. Standing amongst those boxes, I found myself reflecting on a question that sits at the heart of Matariki: What is enough?
How many clothes do we really need? How many purchases are made because something is on sale, because fashion has changed, or simply because buying something new feels good in the moment?
Matariki encourages us to reflect on our choices and the future those choices create.
Perhaps one of the most powerful questions we can ask ourselves is not, “What should I throw away?” but rather, “Do I need to buy it at all?”
Because when we learn to see abundance where we once saw scarcity, we don’t just change our behaviour. We change our perspective.
Words by Tracey Bell – Chair – Mercury bay Resource Recovery Centre Trust
