Gaualofa

Gaualofa is a reconstruction of a va'a-tele ("large canoe"),^[2] a double-hulled Polynesian voyaging canoe. It was built in 2009 by the Okeanos Foundation for the Sea.^[3] It was given to the Samoa Voyaging Society in 2012, on the occasion of Samoa's 50th anniversary of independence.^[4] It is used to teach polynesian navigation.

Gaualofa is one of eight vaka moana built for the Okeanos Foundation for the Sea and gifted to Pacific voyaging societies.^[1] The vaka hulls are constructed of fiberglass, The wood beams are connected to the hulls with traditional lashings. The two masts are rigged with crab claw sails, with bermuda rigged sails for safety during long voyages. It is fitted with a 1 kW photovoltaic array powering a 4 kW electric motor.^[1] It was constructed at Salthouse Boatbuilders in Auckland, New Zealand.

• In 2010 it served as an environmental ambassador for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme and Coral Reef Initiative for the South Pacific, visiting French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, Samoa and Tokelau.^[5]
• In March 2011 it visited New Zealand^[6] before journeying to Hawaii.^[7]
• In 2011 it visited San Diego as part of a fleet of six traditional canoes which voyaged across the Pacific to the USA.^[8]
• In 2011 - 2012 it was part of the Te Mana o Te Moana (Spirit of the Ocean) fleet which visited 15 Pacific nations to spread knowledge of voyaging culture and advocate for ocean conservation.^[3]
• In 2014 it journeyed to Sydney, Australia as part of a fleet to mark the IUCN World Parks Congress.^[9][10]
• In 2017 it visited Samoa's coastal communities as part of a conservation outreach program.^[11]
• En 2018 viajó a Nueva Zelanda para un festival de navegación maorí y del Pacífico, durante el cual navegó alrededor del país. ^{[ 12 ] [ 13 ]} Asistió a las celebraciones del Día de Waitangi en la Bahía de las Islas, a una conferencia sobre el cambio climático y al Festival de las Artes de Nueva Zelanda en Wellington . ^{[ 14 ] [ 15 ]} Regresó a Samoa en mayo. ^{[ 16 ]}
• En 2020 viajó alrededor de Upolu mientras realizaba trabajos de educación ambiental. ^{[ 17 ]}
• En enero de 2021 fue llevado a dique seco para mantenimiento. ^{[ 18 ]} Fue reflotado nuevamente en agosto de 2021. ^{[ 19 ]}
• En 2022, la canoa se utilizó como plataforma para la educación ambiental vinculada a los Guardianes a través del proyecto Manaaki, llevado a cabo con la Samoa Voyaging Society y Conservation International Samoa . ^{[ 20 ]}

• 
  Gaualofa en 2016
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  Ceremonia a bordo del va'aka Gaualofa en 2016
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  Dignatarios con el capitán Fealofani Bruun
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  Fealofani Bruun en el Gaualofa