A traditional Samoan fale, or large meeting house, is not an odd thing to see in the Islands. But one on a busy intersection in Auckland may turn some heads.
The meeting house - complete with its distinctive tall dome roof - has been built in Mangere, South Auckland, as part of a new multimillion-dollar complex belonging to the Government of Samoa.
The Pacific nation purchased the 5345sq m site a few years ago for an estimated $2.4 million, to move its main consulate-general offices from Karangahape Rd, central Auckland, closer to where the majority of its people live.
Consul-general Faolotoi Reupena Pogi said officials had been in talks about the move for many years.
"Most of our people are living in South Auckland and so the office here is inconvenient. This office [in K' Rd] was built in the days when our people were congregated in Grey Lynn and Ponsonby. It was easy access during that time, in the 70s," he said.
