John Mateialona Maumau-Pinomi
Tongan, 31 years old
Aspiring Football player
My mum is from Tokomololo on the main island of Tonga and my dad is from Mounga'one in Ha'apai. I'm kiwi born and raised but I've been in Australia for six years. I've got 2 brothers, one sister - I'm the eldest of 4. All my immediate family are living in New Zealand and I had a brother that passed away. I'm married now with 2 kids. When I met my wife I decided to move over here (Australia) to be with her. We got married in New Zealand and I've been pretty much living in Australia since.
Can you describe what your upbringing was like?
We pretty much had a normal polynesian upbringing. My parents were heavily into church so Sundays was always about church. Saturdays was always footy (football) day, playing sports. The best memories I have growing up, are of spending time in the neighbourhood with other neighbourhood kids and getting up to mischief and other adventures. Sports played a huge part of our life growing up and I think that's what helped us to mature and build great friendships with people.
What inspired you to try and pursue a football career?
I got introduced to American football when I was about 13 from a friend. I was still playing rugby at the time and didn't know anything about the sport. I was playing softball at the time in my local club and my team folded so I had no sport to play during that time which is why I went to American football and in my first year I made the rep team and from there I just grew a love for the sport. I got a lot of good feedback from different coaches and so I just felt fired to inspired to pursue this and I had a great love for it.
There were times that I stopped playing because I tried to focus on just league or rugby union, because in New Zealand that was the focus. American Football was like an alien sport and no one really had any idea - especially with my parents. They were like 'why are you trying to play that sport when you've got rugby or league here in the country' and they thought that I should focus on that. But just recently my wife gave me an ultimatum to just choose one sport to focus on. I chose football. I know some people think it's a bit late for me now having to pursue this type of journey, especially having 2 kids and being married and all the responsibilities that come with that. I work at a high school and I encourage kids every day to chase their dreams. I also have 2 kids who I encourage to chase their dreams. And for me to say that to other kids and my family, but if I'm not doing the same - it means that my words are hollow. For me, action speaks louder than words and I want my kids to see that my words have substance.
Do you have many treasured memories with your brother who passed away?
Yeah. We're 2 years apart and it was pretty much just me and him during my childhood until my sister came along a few years later. He passed away when he was 20 and I was in Nigeria at the time serving on a church mission. I didn't come back for his funeral. I guess it still affects me in the sense that I didn't get to see my brother off. That was probably the biggest trial for me, it shaped me. Because I wasn't really that close to my siblings growing up. I'm a different person now, coming back from Africa then I was when I was here. I love my siblings and I was really protective of them, but I wasn't as close to them as I am now. And I think it took the passing of my brother and serving God on a church mission to realize the importance of how much I love my family.
He was in America, with family - he fell asleep and just didn't wake up the next morning. It was unexpected. I was only 6 months into my 2 year missionary service. The reason why I didn't come back was because before I left, my mum had said that whatever happened back home not to come back, but that I needed to finish my service to God.
Did you communicate much with your family during this time?
My leader gave me all the opportunities to call my family but I didn't call my immediate family during that time, I just sent emails to them. I just felt that it was better for me not to talk to my family at that time. I just felt that it would probably have tempted me to go back home, so I just spoke to other family members and sent them emails. Being active in serving God helped me to cope. Not being distracted but finding purpose and strength, knowing that one day I will see my brother again and my family would be taken care of while I was serving God.
Can you talk about your time in Nigeria and what that was like for you?
It was culture shock! I didn't know what to expect so when I arrived there I was dressed in a suit and that was the last time I wore a suit until I got back because it was just too hot. The food was different - I wasn't really ready for the food. But I just made sure that I embraced the culture. In Nigeria they've got so many different dialects, but I learnt pidgeon English. Within 6 months my accent had changed into a thick Nigerian accent.
It was a really good opportunity for me to learn a different culture and the main thing for me was learning that even though my experience may be tough and rough and I may be going through a lot. But going there to Nigeria and seeing things and the way that people lived their lives - I realized that my own trials and hardships were not bad compared to what I saw in Nigeria. I think God puts you in positions where he teaches you that there's always someone worse off than you.
Were there many similarities between Pacific Island culture and what you experienced in Nigeria?
Yes, there was taro there, there was 'ufi there, they had kasava - but apart from the food the culture is really family orientated and they really embrace you when you take in their culture. They take you in as their own. And I felt like people did that for me. I'm really thankful for the people of Africa.
You had a cameo experience in the Great Gatsby, next to Leonardo Dicaprio - can you tell me how that happened?
I joined a talent agency because I was really interested in doing some camera work. So I just got jobs here and there as an extra. In Australia I worked on The Sapphires and because of my skin colour I could pass off as an African American. I got in as an extra on The Great Gatsby. In the part where I'm featured, during a break Leonardo started talking to the director Baz Lurhmann saying that there was space that needed to be filled in a certain scene. I just happened to be there. So they were looking at me and just decided that I could pass as an upcoming American boxer and he could introduce me to Tobey Maguire saying that 'This is the next heavy weight champ' and that was really a filling between him coming down and talking to the next person and so that's how it happened. I was just at the right place at the right time and Leonardo DiCaprio just made up this little feature role and I just happened to be there and the rest was history!
By Indira Moala
