It is interesting looking back in time to the beginning of the Te Vaka journey. 　　My stated goal right from the start was to do something musically for the South Pacific. 　　Deeply inspired and in awe of the ancestors achievements ,navigational skills and how they lived, I set out to tell their stories through songs and dances to audiences all around the world. 　　The process of writing songs for these albums has been a fantastic journey and an emotional experience, it came in a natural progression starting with the past then moving to present time and now it is taking me into the future. 　　This is the 7th Te Vaka album and I am very proud of what we have achieved. 　　I want to thank all those, past and present, who have helped to row this very exciting and heavy canoe. 　　I can honestly say that I feel like the goal has been reached, the canoe has arrived and my job is done. 　　 　　Opetaia Foa'i - songwriter and lead singer for Te Vaka