Things we do for love

We come in peace, with love in our hearts
humble in acknowledgement of the supreme creator.

We seek not to harm, nor to destroy,
but to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors,
to learn the truth that was lost,
to heal the wounds of past injustices.

May we forever walk in the light,
be guided, strengthened and protected
by the sacred spirit and the divine energy.

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Ua matou o mai i le filemu, o le alofa i o matou loto,
e le agaaga maualalo e ta'uta'u ai le sili sili ese o le atua foafoa.

Matou te saili ina ia le fa'ao'o, se leaga pe fa'aleaoga,
ae mulimuli i a sa uia i o tatou tu'aa,
ia togafitia manu'a ona o le faiga i le aso tuana'i

Tau ina ia tatou savavali pea i le malamalama,
ma ia ta'ita'iina, fa'amalosia pupuia le agaaga,
paia le malosi ma le mana silisili ese.
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That was something i wrote about 15 years ago, when deciding what my life mission was to be in choosing to identify first and foremost as Samoan. It was always my hope that it would be translated into other Pasifikan languages as a form of greeting and salutation.

All that will now come to pass and become embodied in a gift for the wider Pasifikan family as we embark on a journey to reawaken the world, to share the Okeanos dream of German patron, Dieter Paulmann. This journey, reminiscent of those undertaken by our noble and illustrious ancestors deified in legend, will force others to see, through Pasifikan eyes, the harm we cause ourselves, by highlighting Man's attempted self destruction of itself through the damage we are currently inflicting on the world's oceans.

Acidification by CO2 saturation, the creation of 'dead' zones by plankton and oxygen depletion, pollution by plastics and noise which devastate fish populations, are problems we aim to bring to the attention of the wider world, by chronicling in film the voyage of 7 traditionally styled Pasifikan waka/va'a/vaka/boats, crewed by volunteers from all over the globe, though primarily from Pasifika. Such was Dieter's wish in sponsoring the creation of these canoes.

In January 2012 i will be taking my place among the crew of the Gaualofa, the Samoan va'a, as it journeys from San Diego USA and sails back across the Pacific to the Solomon islands in time for the 2012 Pasifika Arts festival.

For more on the voyage, the people, the mission, the challenge and to track the progress of the fleet on it's first legs from Aotearoa to Hawaii, by way of Tahiti and the Marquesas, then on to San francisco and San Diego, go here to the
pacificvoyagers.org

And if you have the desire or the means to contribute in whatever form, though preferably through a kindly donation to the Samoan Voyaging Society, please feel free to do so and know that your contribution is much appreciated.

Account Name: SAMOA VOYAGING SOCIETY INC main branch Apia
Account N°: 00038031142

Such is the sentiment behind Gaualofa.



The things we do for love and expect nothing in return...
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EDIT : With much love and indebtedness to Mareva and Tera'ireia, and in expectation of nothing in return, these two Tahitian ladies of high esteem have seen fit to translate the prayer into Tahitian...

UA HAERE MAI MATOU MÄ TE HAU I TE ‘A’AU
MÄ TE HAEHAA O TE VARUA NO TE HAAMAURUURU I TE TUMU NUI

EITA MATOU E IMI I TE HARA ,EITA MATOU E FAATUPU I TE INO
E APEE RÄ MATOU I TE MAU TAPUA’E AVAE O TO MATOU MAU TUPUNA
NO TE HAAPII I TE PARAU TI’A I MO’E IA MATOU
NO TE RAPA’AU I TE MAU MAUIUI I FAATUPUHIA E TE MAU OHIPA TANO ‘ORE NO MUA RA

IA HAERE TATOU NA TE ARATIA MARAMARAMA
A TAU E A HITI NOA ATU

IA ARATA’IHIA TATOU, IA FAAITOITOHIA TATOU
IA PARURUHIA TATOU
E TE VARUA MO’A E TE MANA ATUA.

...with my hope that it can be delivered by my Samoan family on the Gaualofa upon touching soil at ther first port of call, Fakarava.