The Aiga Folau a Samoa is hopeful the interest in young people on Samoa’s cultural heritage and traditional knowledge in oceanic navigation with be fired up at the Gaualofa Open Day this Saturday..
The Aiga Folau Samoa or Samoa Voyaging Society (SVS) recently hosted the navigators of the vaa folau Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti from the Te Kura Waka ‘s Traditional Navigation training academy of Tauranga, Aotearoa New Zealand.
Their navigators sailed their vaatele from Auckland New Zealand to Samoa, totally by traditional navigation methods, ie. by the sun, stars, waves etc. as their final exam.
All seven navigators have graduated having sailed to Samoa and return successfully by traditional navigation.
“Our young and new crew will all be on a volunteer basis while they learn of different aspects of the canoe, and looking after Gaualofa,” a statement from Aga Folau Samoa highlighted.
“ Learning about the weather and water safety would be other important aspects.
“They will get to learn the basics in being connected to the ocean, how to care for the ocean, how to look after the Gaualofa itself, and how we as young crew can plan and prepare as a Gaualofa crew, and for a sail. “
