Le Vasa & South Pacific Watersports bring Polynesian Voyaging back to American Samoa

Le Vasa and South Pacific Watersports & Fitnessare proud to announce that they will partner with Samoa Voyaging Society (Aiga Folau o Samoa) to revive traditional voyaging as part of Samoan cultural and national heritage.

"We are very fortunate to have developed a partnership with the Samoa Voyaging Society in Samoa to promote the awareness of Polynesian voyaging here in American Samoa." says SPW owner and Le Vasa president Paula Stevenson-McDonald. "This is such an important part of our heritage and we want to do our part to promote and preserve it."

The mission of the Samoa Voyaging Society (SVS), or the Aiga Folau o Samoa, is to promote the revival of Samoan cultural traditions related to ocean sailing and navigation as well as to inspire the wise stewardship of our Pacific Island environments. The SVS calling card for engaging the people of Samoa, particularly the youth, is the Gaualofa. The Gaualofa is a beautiful double-hulled traditional ocean voyaging canoe (also called Va’a/Vaka), which was gifted to the SVS by the Okeanos Foundation in 2009.

Le Vasa’s mission is to promote health & fitness through the responsible use of our oceans and environment, promoting education regarding sustainable and responsible practices in our oceans and on our land, and promoting conservation of our oceans, lands, and natural resources. Le Vasa is a local, non-profit 501c3 organization.Le Vasa’s mission is to promote health & fitness through the responsible use of our oceans and environment, promoting education regarding sustainable and responsible practices in our oceans and on our land, and promoting conservation of our oceans, lands, and natural resources. Le Vasa is a local, non-profit 501c3 organization.

To officially launch their initiative, SPW will be adding traditional Polynesian voyaging as part of their 2nd summer youth camp program. The camp participants will carve and shape the va'as, carve the ama, iatos, and foes. Additionally, the camp participants will learn about traditional Polynesian wayfinding and how our ancestors, ancient Samoans, played a key role in accomplishing one of the most remarkable feats in human history, the settling of Polynesia.

"We are fortunate to have Mr. Maluseu Polisi here from Samoa to teach our camp participants how to build the va'a. Later in the program, we will also have Captain Fealofani Brunn, who is the captain of the Samoan voyaging vessel Gaualofa, here to share her knowledge and experience with our kids." says Stevenson-McDonald.

"While the program is specifically for the kids in the program, we invite the public to come by SPW on Tuesdays and Thursdays to check out the va'as and to chat with Mr. Polisi and share stories about this very important part of our heritage." says Stevenson-McDonald.

For more information, contact South Pacific Watersports & Fitness at 633-3050 or visit their facebook page at www.facebook.com/SouthPacificWatersportsSamoa.