Space, broader focus
A crowd gathered in Bank St, Kaitaia, on Monday morning to see the unveiling of Ano Ano! Rethink. Repair. Reuse, followed by a blessing to formally open a new space next door to the Ecocentre Kaitaia and the beginning of Te Wiki o te Reo Ma¯ori/ Maori Language Week.
The premises will serve as a multi-purpose venue for Te Pokapu Tiaki Taiao o Te Tai Tokerau Trust, which also runs the Ecocentre.
“Ano ano means again again, and was chosen for a number of reasons, including ease of pronunciation and remembering the name, to extend people’s knowledge and use of te reo Ma¯ori and to challenge people to get into the habit of using things again and again,” Waikarere Gregory said.
“Reusing shopping bags, be they cloth or the thicker plastic ones, using a reusable coffee cup instead of a single-use throwaway one, using a refillable/reusable drink bottle for water. Encouraging us to step away from the disposable singleuse culture that surrounds us today, which is usually plastic options.
“The byline of the name Rethink | Repair | Reuse again encourages us to do just that, not only when something breaks, but even before we purchase something. Can we borrow or share the item? Do we really need it? Is there a better product, perhaps more expensive, that can be fixed if it breaks or reused at its end? Or can we reuse something else we already have rather than purchase a new item, like a nice old bottle as a refillable water bottle?
In conjunction with the Ecocentre beside it, Ano Ano would help locals in the shift away from the prevailing throwaway consumer culture through hands-on workshops, repair cafe-type days, as well as an exhibition space, potentially a co-op for bulk food purchases and a place to hui.
Ano Ano currently houses a mix of art pieces from local artists, some associated with the Te Tai Tokerau Timebank scheme, and others involved in the art group Jen Gay runs for stroke victims. The exhibition will run until the end of September.
It was hoped that Ano Ano would be open most Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, between 10am and 3pm, if volunteer availability allowed.
■ For further information, to use the space or become involved in the project, contact the Ecocentre on (09) phone (09) 408-1086 or email info@ecocentre.co.nz