Principles

The Samoa Voyaging Socety (SVS) works to promote positive Samoan cultural values, respect for the ocean and nature, individual and social responsibility, discipline and integrity.


The SVS considers that the reintroduction of traditional sailing in Samoa will provide opportunities for youth development (sports, leadership), environmental awareness, cultural development and, potentially, tourism opportunities such as whale watching and adventure tours.


SVS is developing hands-on educational and training programmes in traditional sailing and navigation. The programmes will target young Samoan youth including school children, school leavers and other interested groups. The task of learning traditional sailing and navigation skills also develops leadership and discipline among the youth, leading to well-rounded young people capable of contributing positively to the growth of this nation.





Sunday, March 14, 2010

Fesoasoani le Vaafaila o le Gaualofa, a le Aiga Folau o Samoa, I galuega a le SPREP.

O le mataituina o faafitauli o loo afaina ai ‘amu ma aau I le atu Fagaloa.
O se galuega faaauau lea o loo feagai ai nei ma le faalapotoptoga e gafa ma le vaaia o le Siosiomaga o le Pasefika, le SPREP I Vailima.
Pei ona faatautauia ai se isi siaki I le faaiuga o le vaiaso ua tuana’I, lea ua faaaoga ai nei le vaafaila o le Gaualofa, a le faalapotopotoga o le Aiga Folau o Samoa.
E tausaga atoa lava lea ua galulue faatasi ai le SPREP ma le Matagaluega o Faiga Faiva, ma le Malo o Samoa e mata’itu le faafitauli o feagai ai nei ma le gataifale o le afioaga o Fagaloa.
O le poloketi lenei, o loo tilotilo ai I aafiaga o le gataifale mai le vai I Afulilo lea o loo faaola ai le afi vai mo le eletise.
O le vai lea o lo o masaa atu I le aloalo poo le gataifale o FAgaloa, ma o loo faatupeina e le faletupe o Asia lenei poloketi.
Na afua ona faia suesuega tulituliloa nei a le SPREP I ‘amu ma a’au o lenei gataifale, ina ua faasea le tele o aiga I lea vai aai I aafiaga o le gataifale ua leai ni figota ma taumafa sa masani ona latou maua ona o le afi eletise o faaoga ai le vai o loo I totonu o le nuu. O le masina o Me 2009, sa amata ai su’esu’ega a le SPREP.
Na taua e le sui o le SPREP , Caroline Vieux, lea e gafa ma le pulega o amu ma aau, sa latou suesue’a uma lava amu o lo o ola ai I le aloalo lenei e oo lava I le ituaiga o I’a o ola ai, talu mai Iulai 2009. ma sa amata mai ai lava ona alu a latou suesuega ta’i tolu masina e faitau le aofa’I o amu fou o loo tutupu a’e
Na taua foi e Caroline, “o loo manino lava le faafitauli o feagai nei ma Fagaloa, I le pepe o amu ona o mea o loo to’a ane iai, lea ua vaai foi latou iai I taimi e faia ai a latou suesuega.
O le mafuaaga tonu o lenei faafitauli e le’o iloa lava e oo mai I le taimi nei, ona e iai nisi itu faalenatura, pei o afa, o le suiga I le malulu o le suavai, ae o aafiaga foi mai tagata pei o le tafega o le suavai mai Afulilo lea o loo vili ai le afi vai eletise ma faaalu agai I le sami, lea e ao foi ona faia iai se fuafuaga.
O le suesuega lata mai nei lea na faia ai I le vaiaso talu ai, o le masina o Mati 2010 I le faiga paaga ma le Aiga Folau o Samoa, ma le Vaka Gaualofa.
O isi suesuega ua tuana’I sa faaaoga ai se tama’I vaa, sa toso ese taavale I Fagaloa. Ona o le taumamao o FAgaloa, sa masani ai lava ona lua aso e faia ai lenei galuega.
O le fesoasoani a le Vaka Gaualofa pei ona ta’ua e Caroline, ua faigofie ai foi I le au suesue ona faatino lenei galuega I le aso e tasi.
Talu ai, le faigata tele o auala e faataunuu ai ia ituaiga o suesuega, ua maitauina ai, o le faaaogaina o le vaafaila e folau atu I le atu Fagaloa, e le gata ose tasi lea o auala ua molimauina le faigofie ae ua sili atu lea mo le siosiomaga.
Na saunoa foi le pulega o galuega tau I le siosiomaga o amu ma aau, a le SPREP, o se tasi foi lea o auala e faaali atu ai le lagolago a le SPREP I le Aiga Folau o Samoa, ae ose avanoa foi mo le mamalu o le atu Fagaloa e maimoaina ai le Vaka Gaualofa.
E toafitu le auvaa sa fesoaoani tele I le folauga I lea aso mo le ogasami tonu na faatino ai suesuega a le aufaigaluega a le SPREP.
Ua tuufaatasia ai nei se lipoti o ia suesuega uma talu mai le masina o Me 2009, mo le agai I luma o fuafuaga I le faafitauli pei ona molimauina.
Vaa Gaualofa assists Coral Survey team
Vaa Gaualofa has helped ensure smooth sailing of the coral survey undertaken in Fagaloa Bay, Samoa.
Since May last year, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has worked with the Ministry of Fisheries of the Government of Samoa to carry out a year long coral reef monitoring project at Fagaloa Bay.
The project is to assess the impact of the fresh water discharge into the Bay and is funded by the Asian Development Bank in response to complaints from residents in the area who allege that coral health and marine resources have been declining due to a power plant in the area.
“We did an extensive survey to assess the live coral cover and the fish population in Fagaloa Bay in July 2009 and since then, we have been doing more targeted surveys every 3 months to count the baby corals,“ said Caroline Vieux, SPREP’s Coral Reef Management Officer.
“There’s clearly a problem of coral dying in Fagaloa Bay due to sedimentation in which we experience when we carry out the monitoring but the exact causes for it are still under examination as both natural factors such as cyclones and high water temperature as well as the human factors such as the freshwater discharge from the power plant have to be considered”.
The most recent surveying carried out in March worked in partnership with the Samoa Voyaging Society and Vaa Gaualofa.
Past surveys have included a car towing a dinghy, due to the geographical situation of Fagaloa Bay; this would normally take two full days of work. Vaka Gaualofa has helped the survey team overcome complicated logistics enabling the survey to take place over a period of one day
“The logistics of reaching Fagaloa Bay to carry out the survey are quite difficult, however with Vaka Gaualofa we have been able to work much more effectively and in a more eco-friendly way as we sailed to Fagaloa,” said Vieux.
“This has also been a positive way to support the Samoa Voyaging Society and an opportunity for the residents of the Fagaloa Bay area to see Vaka Gaualofa.”
A crew of seven helped sail the team to the survey area for which three SPREP staff carried out the coral reef monitoring.
Recommendations are currently being prepared in a report based upon the findings of the different surveys which began in May last year.