Some of the Pacific Collective leaders who stayed back till after 10pm last night to welcome and care for the Gaualofa crew on their safe arrival in Auckland, New Zealand.

The "Gaualofa", va'atele or traditional sailing double hulled canoe, was provided to the Aiga Folau o Samoa or Samoa Voyaging Society (SVS) by Okeanos Nature Film Productions (ONFP) in 2009, under a lease to purchase agreement. In June of 2012, Gaualofa was gifted to SVS and Samoa by Okeanos founder, Dieter Paulmann and his wife Hanna.

Despite the late arrival of the Gaualofa crew, a lotu and welcome was accorded to these sons and daughters of the Pacific.

The occasion also marks the beginning of a sister relationship between the Aiga Folau o Samoa and Aiga TOA (Tautai o Aotearoa) who will be the official guardian of the Gaualofa till March 2015 when it returns to Samoa after the cyclone season.

A cultural exchange and awareness programme will be announced shortly allowing the Samoa community and public to view the Gaualofa after New Year.