Transcript
Parked up at Okahu Bay in Auckland city before heading to New Zealand's capital stands a 22-metre Samoan traditional canoe or va'atele called Gaualofa.
"Famous words spoken by a Samoan queen. Simply put, love overcomes fear."
That's vice president of the Samoa Voyaging Society and crew member of Gaualofa, Lauaki Lavatai Afifimailagi talking about the origin of the canoe's name.
The non-profit organisation's purpose is to revive the heritage of traditional ocean voyaging and environmental stewardship with a new generation of people across the Pacific.
Mr Afifimailagi says the future generations of his family are why he volunteers his time to the movement.
"I want to pass to my children and their children the importance of looking after our home especially the Pacific Ocean and our own the islands."
Gaualofa will sail to the Bay of Islands to be part of Waitangi Day celebrations and then to Wellington for the Pacific Climate Change conference and the New Zealand festival.
President of SVS Schannel van Dijken says canoe will be part of efforts to help the community realise the immediate impact of pollution in the Pacific Ocean.
"The Gaualofa to us is a floating classroom. This way of educating our people because it's very different to sitting in a classroom. We've done a project with Disney, where we took the Disney movie Moana around Samoa because the messages from Moana were the messages that stand today about the ocean having a voice because the ocean was a character in that and she needs help and our islands need help."
Gaualofa is one of five canoes that will be part of a work called 'A Waka Odyssey', which will open the New Zealand festival.
"Provides the perfect platform to give our young crew more training opportunities with the sailing around New Zealand, engaging with our Māori aiga because they've got a lot of knowledge to share because they've been doing this a lot longer in that revival of traditional navigation and way-finding."
But it has not been smooth sailing for the Samoa Voyaging Society, encountering a few mishaps in bringing their canoe to New Zealand shores.
Skipper Fealofani Bruun says working on the Gaualofa va'atele or canoe is a labour of love for the crew.
"We're in a flurry. We had a few mishaps along the way, weather conditions, some materials were a bit late in coming in, so at the moment we're pretty much pass the deadline at the moment, so we're trying to do as much as we can."
Ms Bruun says the crew are all volunteers and operation of the canoe has brought about personal growth in each member.
She sees the Gaualofa va'atele is like a mother to the crew.
"I see her as a mother that can teach, that can share with our crew life, share with them how to act, how to be more well-rounded youth, at the same time it gives them more of a boost of upskilling themselves."
The crew of 16 from Samoa will showcase their culture at the festival from February 23rd - March 4.
