As reported in the local media, the va'atele manned by local voyaging society Aiga Tautai will set sail next week for a journey to the Independent State of Samoa, and then on to Tonga. As part of their commitment to learning about their ancestral connections to vessel building, exploration and navigation of the seas, Marine Science students from the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) joined the numerous government officials and other dignitaries on hand at the ceremony to with the Aiga Tautai a safe and rewarding journey.

The ASCC group's connection to the Aiga Tautai had begun a week previously, when students enrolled in Oceanography visited the va'atele, usually docked in Pago Harbor. During that first visit, Aiga Tautai member and va'atele crewman Mark Kneubuhl discussed how the Society applied traditional voyaging methods in overcoming oceanographic and atmospheric challenges. "Not only did these early explores navigate by the stars," explained Kneubuhl, "but they also used knowledge of ocean swell and wind direction." Va'tele Captain, Jesse Horton, also on hand, gave the students a tour of the vessel and explained the use of sails and paddles.

As the Aiga Tautai explained, navigating around the Pacific for far distances and braving tumultuous sea and weather conditions as much of an art as a science. Thus, a "Tautai" extends beyond the English translation of a fisherman to include one who is all-knowing of the sea. As the process of Westernization has run its course in Samoa and the rest of the Pacific, many island cultures have lost the sailing skills known to their forefathers..

How were these early navigators so successful? Can we in modern times replicate their methods? By maintaining traditional navigational practices of the Tautai, the American Samoan va'atele crew will navigate to Samoa and Tonga, all the while documenting the "how" part of the early voyaging, before meeting up with five other va'a from neighboring Pacific countries to set sail together to Hawaii via celestial navigation in the spring of 2010. This international collaboration includes the island nations of Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand, and Tahiti.

One of the missions of the Aiga Tautai is to stimulate interest in traditional sailing and share their knowledge and skills with the American Samoan youth. Aiga Tautai President Wilson Fi'itao said, "It's important for young Samoans to know who they are and where they come from." He explained how historical knowledge stems today mostly from American History textbooks, and consequently, many of the younger Samoans have little familiarity with many of their own traditions. He later joked about how getting students to even want to learn is often the primary challenge.

The significance behind the collaboration among the ASCC Marine Science program and the Aiga Tautai lies in the passion both organizations share for stimulating interest among the youth in their own culture, especially in regards to traditional respect and knowledge of the ocean. The Aiga Tautai made this common interest manifest by inviting the students to the va'atele launch and even covering the cost of their transportation. Students from the ASCC Tupulaga Talaga Club, which targets marine conservation, joined the Oceanography class at the launch.

The ceremony featured distinguished guest speakers who shared their personal connection with the Aiga Tautai's voyage. Te Ato, an experienced sailor from the Cook Islands who serves as the Project Manager for this international collaboration, expressed his committment to the safety of the voyagers. He also emphasized setting an example for promoting ocean conservation in the context of sustainability, where fish will only be caught for what is needed to feed the crew. Deiter Paulman, Project Chairman and founder of the nonprofit Okeanos Foundation, shared his excitement for the project and his interest in raising public awareness on the adverse impacts of ocean noise.

Aotearoa/New Zealand actor Rawiri Paratene from the popular film Whale Rider is also an environmental activist, and he will join the Aiga Tautai on the journey as part of a documentary project on today's Polynesian sailors. After giving the va'a a Maori blessing, Paratene shared his concerns about the effects of ocean noise on the marine mammals, especically whales. Governor Togiola Tulafono thanked those present for making this international collaboration exist, and promised to do all he can to ensure that the va'atele will be around for many future generations to enjoy as they learn about their cultural ties to the sea.

The collaboration among the Aiga Tautai and the ASCC Marine Science program has, thus far, proven fruitful. Two students, Joe Atafua (Marine Science major and Marine Option Program) and Ta'ulelei Seuvaai (majoring in Liberal Arts and Samoan Studies), began working as volunteers with the va'atele crew last week, and have already been on their first sail in the vessel. Several other students enthusiastically expressed interest in joining the Aiga Tautai, and offered help to prepare the va'atele for its journey. This collaboration will continue in the months ahead, with the main aim of motivating students to learn about their cultural ties and gain respect for their ocean.