Caring for Creation Maketi

PVA crew at the Wai Wash Station

The Whau Pasifika Festival 2025 included an array of exciting events and workshops over 10 days that included art, craft and music workshops, film screenings, a Te Tiriti workshop, a high school debate and a fashion show. The last day of the festival was the Fiafia night and Caring for Creation Maketi at the New Lynn Community Centre which Pacific Vision Aotearoa helped facilitate. Markets are known for generating a significant amount of waste to landfill, especially with food packaging. PVA saw an opportunity to divert, educate and inspire through providing real dishes that could be washed and reused on site. The PVA team collected plates, bowls, side plates, cups, forks and spoons and made sure everything was in place for their ‘Wai Wash’ station leading up to the maketi. The kaupapa and logistics of serving on real plates and bowls was shared with all market vendors followed up by conversations in person on the day.

The ‘Wai Wash’ Station was set up in the main dining area and plate and cutlery collection points were dotted around the venue for people to put their dirty dishes in that were collected and then washed at the Wai Wash Station by the PVA crew and Whau Festival volunteers.

Kevin from Nana’s Donuts with plastic free panini’s

Food vendor Kevin from ‘Nana’s Donuts’ went above and beyond the caring for creation call and served their homemade lemonade in glass jars which were sourced from local op shops. These were popular drinks with diners and Kevin thinks it was because the jars were relatable but also a novel way to serve a drink. Their food stall tried something different for this maketi and made delectable slow cooked meats served in panini bread with mushroom sauce. The panini bread was sourced from PaknSave which Kevin made sure they came in cardboard boxes not plastic bags, a request that PaknSave were willing to do when Kevin explained the kaupapa. Koko Samoa was served in mugs which was perfect for a chilly night in the Whau. For all these efforts and dedication Kevin from Nana’s Donuts stall receives the PVA Caring for Creation Platinum stall award. 

Mama Sela’s Stall

Some other food vendors, Leaveaux from Sweet azz Hawaian BBQ said using the real plates and bowls was “easy” and it “kept their costs down” by not going through single use packaging and the crew at Mama Sela’s Polynesian Treats also said “it was easy” and they “were happy to do it”. For diners, several shared using the real plates and cutlery was “just like home” and that it felt “very professional”. Conversations with diners and those stopping by the Wai Wash stall about the reason for using real plates and cutlery was supportive and often led back to what we do at home or used to do. 

By using the real plates and providing compost bins for food waste the PVA crew noticed there was little food waste and in general, all waste bins were minimal* meaning that the kai was hitting the spot and vendors, maketi goers and diners were supportive of the kaupapa.

The Wai Wash stall had a ‘Tree of Life’ tally that was totaling the dishes, bowls, cups and mugs washed. The tally reached over 800 by the end of the night - a massive effort by the team, maketi food vendors and diners! Rawe!!

At halfway point before getting to over 800!

Marketi goer sharing her Wai

Wai Wash?

If Wai Wash did not happen 800+ single use food containers would of ended up in a waste stream.

Single Use Food Containers are made from materials that are sourced from finite resources like fossil fuels (for plastics) and plant-based sources (for paper and bioplastics). Production of these containers often involves high initial emissions and contributes to environmental concerns related to waste and pollution.

PVA were enthused by the support and feedback from diners and food vendors. Overall, the real plates and cutlery created a homely feel to the event and seeing tamariki and whanau proudly bring their plates and bowls to the wash station was encouraging and meaningful.

Top Tip from Kevin on cleaning jars:

Wash and soak in hot soapy water, use oil and salt to get off labels and glue.

Homemade lemonade in jars at the Nana’s Donuts Stall

*Single use food containers were provided to those who were taking away kai from the maketi.