'I’m so proud of you': Tongan sailor overwhelmed by family's response following honour

Tongan navy writer Joanna Mafi has been named the Royal New Zealand Navy's Sailor of the Year.

Mafi has been in the navy for almost five years and now holds the rank of Leading Writer, handling payroll and personnel management, along with administration onboard various ships.

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She says the award was unexpected, but a huge honour.

“I was on deployment at the time, and my Dad - we don’t really text, we always call each other - so when I was away, he had messaged me and I opened it up and he was like ‘Hey, I just want to let you know I’m so proud of you, and you make me so happy’ and I was really overwhelmed by the love from my family and everybody around me.”

Mafi is described by her former Commanding Officer Andy Dowling as a “tremendous asset”.

“Her diligence, tenacity and utterly infectious enthusiasm are something to behold, the RNZN would find no finer ambassador than Leading Writer Mafi.”

Going back to the start

The McAuley High School graduate was in her second year of university when she decided to change course.

“One of my friends was looking up defence careers, so I went on and started looking as well, and when I read the whole description of what they did, the thing that stood out for me was humanitarian aid as I’d done a lot of work with Amnesty International, and travel was a big thing for me.”

The next step was meeting the fitness requirements, and convincing her parents.

“The only thing that kept me wary was the fitness side of things because I hadn’t played sports in so long, but I thought ‘if fitness is the only thing that’s stopping me from doing this, I better start now and I better start training’.

“I told my parents, ‘Hey, I don’t think I want to finish uni anymore, I’m going to switch’ and they were a bit shocked at the start, but once they saw how determined I was to actually want it, my parents were like ‘OK, if this is in your heart, the best thing we can do is support you’.”

Leading Writer Joanna Mafi says she's able to find common ground when working in the Pacific. Photo/NZDF

Serving in the Pacific and beyond

Mafi, (Longoteme, Fahefa, Kolomotu'a, Hoi) now believes she’s in the right place, and says being a Pacific person in the Navy is an advantage when working in the region.

“I got to speak with the High Commissioner of New Zealand, and we had a few female divers from Niue as well that were on board, and we got to speak with them and some of their ministers.

“It’s quite unique, I think that for me being a Pacific Islander, there’s a common ground and I feel it’s easier for me to have conversations with them because our background is kind of similar.”

Mafi has been deployed to Canada, Fiji and Niue and has enjoyed seeing some less-frequented parts of New Zealand, like the Chatham and Auckland Islands.

“People pay a lot of money to go there, whereas for us we get to go there for free. It’s such a remote island that no one goes to, we get to see animals like whales and sea lions.

Speaking onboard a ship docked at Devonport Navy Base, Mafi says the job keeps her on her toes.

“On ship, everyone has their own trade and their own job. Sometimes we’ll be doing evolutions, such as refuelling the ship, and then some days I’ll just be working normally from 8 to 4, it’s all different and it depends on where we are.

“We’re currently a human aid relief disaster ship, so we’re on standby for any cyclones in the islands, so when something does occur we’ll be the first to get called out and go and help where needed.”

Mafi will go to Gallipoli in April to commemorate ANZAC day.

Last year’s recipient of the award was Leading Youth Development Specialist James Faleofa, who runs Fahi On, a home-based gym to support and empower young men in West Auckland.