Celebrating Tongan Language Week: ACH Susana Sili

"I am a kiwi-born full Tongan. Both parents were born and raised in Tonga. Father is from Lapaha, Tongatapu and my mother is from Ha’ato’u, Ha’apai & Fasi moe afi. I grew up in Glen Innes, East Auckland.

I joined the Royal New Zealand Navy in September 2014. Why? Because the military blood runs in my family back in Tonga. I wanted to be the first one in my family here in New Zealand to sign up with NZDF, which I did and haven’t looked back ever since.

I also saw it as a great opportunity to learn about life, travel, experience the sea lanes and see the world while getting paid.

I have relatives that serve overseas in Tonga in His Majesty’s Armed Forces. My grandfather was also a soldier in Tonga and served in WW2."

"In 2020, I was deployed on RIMPAC 2020, held in Hawai’i. We travelled during the pandemic on HMNZS Manawanui and couldn’t step ashore anywhere, so we stayed out at sea for a good 53 or so days.

On the transit back from Hawai’i, we got to stop by in Tonga for a good 40 minutes to offload a shipping container full of medical supplies. I got to see some relatives, wave to them from ship and that was about it. Covid stopped me from giving them a hug or dropping off some NZ goodies for them."

"What makes me proud is that the Tongan language and culture is still very well alive till this day. Even within the Pacific island community in our Navy. You’d walk past a Tongan sailor and they’d greet and speak to you in the Tongan language."

"We (the PI community) also have annual gatherings where we all come together and prepare a big feast, just like they would do back in the islands.

Like the Navy, we have four core values; courage, commitment, comradeship and integrity. Tongans have their own core values too which I want to share, they are: Fefaka’apa’apa’aki ( mutual respect), feveitokai’aki (sharing, co’operating and fulfilment of mutual obligations), lototoo (humility and generosity) and tauhi vaha’a (loyalty and commitment)."