Jahwear: Father of Hawke's Bay league prospect creates sports clothing brand in his memory

Javarn Nofoagatotoa with his godson following the child's first birthday and Javarn's 21st. Photo / Supplied

Hawke's Bay rugby league prospect Javarn Nofoagatotoa's family are making sure his legacy of kindness carries forward to the next generation and the generations after.

Javarn, known as Jah, died after a fall from a crane on a construction site, three weeks after moving to Forest Hill, Sydney, in November 2019.

His father Edward Nofoagatotoa says the family have created "Jahwear" in his memory, a sportswear clothing brand based in Paharakeke (Flaxmere).

In the year since the brand's inception they've found it has become a way of helping the family grieve and come to terms with Javarn's death.

"I was always so proud of his kindness and willingness to help, his willingness to give. He would give you his last dollar if you needed it.

"For us the brand is based on him. It's like he's with us. It's a coping mechanism," Edward said.

Jahwear clothing brand owners, from left: Olive Bartlett and Edward Nofoagatotoa working in their home office. Photo / Warren Buckland

He said "Jahwear" would aim to help local children playing league, at low cost.

"Sport was always a big thing for Javarn, he was the sporty one," Edward said.

"When Jah was young rugby league wasn't strong in Hawke's Bay, he had to play in Manawatu. Then when he moved to Australia in 2014, neither me nor his mother could be there for him.

"Jah had dreams of coming back to Flaxmere in his 30s. He wanted to coach in rugby league and rugby to help out the kids and create pathways for them to help them succeed, something he didn't have growing up."

The family want to create a sports trust in his name, and are also donating a trophy to Bridge Pa, Javarn's childhood rugby league club.

Javarn moved to the Gold Coast in 2014 on a rugby league scholarship with his cousin and three others who got rugby scholarships, attending Coombabah State High School.

He made it to the school state championships in rugby league in Mackay, Queensland, before playing both club rugby league for Runaway Bay and rugby union for the Gold Coast Eagles.

Olive Bartlett and Edward Nofoagatotoa have created a clothing brand in their son's memory. Photo / Warren Buckland

Edward said the family will start pushing the "Jahwear" brand more publicly in the next 12 months.

First the family, including Javarn's 15-year-old brother, are hoping to process the final stages of grief at an unveiling ceremony for Javarn on November 27.

At unveiling ceremonies, the gravestone is unveiled, usually a year or two after the tangi.