She had already received a number of awards including the Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writers Residency at the University of Hawai'i, the Ursula Bethell Creative Writers Residency, and the Janet Frame Literary Trust Award.
However Tagaloasa said she was still extremely surprised to be included on the honours list, a recognition she was notified of via e-mail rather than the normal mail service during the nation-wide lockdown.
She greeted the email with tears.
"It's funny how things like that will hit you," she said.
