The Miss Samoa NZ pageant is celebrating its 35th year this year with only two finalists vying for the crown.
Despite the low number, the pageant remains persistent in serving its core purpose: empowering young women and strengthening the ties between the Samoan community in Aotearoa NZ and the wider Pacific region.
Initially, six finalists were chosen out of 12 applicants, but due to unforeseen circumstances, four withdrew before the pageant began.
This low level of participation mirrors that of the 2014 and 2022 Miss Samoa NZ pageants.
In contrast, last year saw eight tamaita’i Samoa go head to head, with Precious Miriama Tusega triumphing as the Miss Samoa NZ 2024.
Pageant director Seumanu Ulalemamae Te’evā Matāfai believes the substantial increase in participants last year was a direct impact of former Miss Samoa and Miss Pacific Island’s Moemoana Safa’atoa Schwenke’s influence.
“Her epic win and story inspired so many across the globe,” she says.
Despite fewer contestants this year, Seumanu remains optimistic about the pageant’s enduring future, given its history of triumphs even with just two finalists.
“In 2014, Latafale Auva’a won, she then won Miss Samoa at Teuila and the first Miss Pacific Islands (re-branded title),” she says.
“In 2022, our winner; Shilohm Filipi was Runner Up in Samoa, nearly winning a back-to-back after our Miss Samoa NZ Fonoifafo Seumanu who won all three titles.”
“Numbers fluctuate. However, we never have no one at all in our 34-35 year history.”
Precious shares the same enthusiasm, believing that whoever will be crowned next will uphold the pageant’s legacy with pride and grace.
“The essence and spirit of each year are unique to the girls who run no matter the number,” she says.
“I believe it will be whatever our beautiful two finalists make of it.”
This year’s finalists are Paulina Ave’ese Tapuai-Soti and Susana Elisa Tagoa’i.
They will be competing in six categories: Introduction, Sarong, Talent, Stage Interview, Puletasi and Taualuga.
Precious will crown the new Miss Samoa NZ on Thursday 5th June at the Fale o Samoa in Mangere. The winner will advance to compete at the annual Miss Samoa competition held in Apia, Samoa later this year.
Precious says her reign as MSNZ 2024 has been rewarding and challenging in many ways. One of the most fulflling parts of her journey was being able to empower and uplift the younger generation. She hopes her example of “confidence, faith and authenticity has inspired them to walk boldly but humbly in their own journey.”
Interacting with the youth and seeing the light in their eyes and the joy in their smiles reaffirms her belief that the crown represents more than just beauty.
“It carries a message of empowerment that flows through me, especially to the young girls who see themselves reflected in me,” she says.
“I’m sure my sisters out there can agree we don’t feel beautiful all the time. Having to accept my flaws and in fact see them all over media was a little difficult at first, but it has definitely built my confidence that beauty really is subjective and our inner beauty is where the real change happens.”
But being in the public eye and upholding certain standards can be isolating. Precious reflects on moments where support and guidance from the MSNZ committee felt limited, particularly after the Miss Samoa pageant.
“It often felt as though everything was geared toward the stage performance, and once that was over, real-life engagement with the platform and our beloved community came to a halt,” Precious says.
“I felt alone at times but I came to understand that life moves on. I embraced the opportunities that came my way from dear friends within our community with deep gratitude.”
Its these experiences, she says, are what she will treasure most from her time with the platform.
Looking ahead, Precious hopes the committee will invest in creating uplifting and educational content that defines the true essence of the pageant. She believes this will create more awareness and assurance for our girls to reaffirm that the pageant is merely about beauty or being perfect in all aspects of being a Samoan.
Her encouraging words for this year’s finalists is “e au le ina’ilau a tamaita’i” – women can do anything.
“Whatever they decide to showcase, it is all possible with God. They already have so much to be proud of and wherever this journey takes them, God has a plan and purpose for them. This is only the beginning.”
Seumanu says she’s “excited to see who will take this legacy further as a postiive role-model for our tamaita’i Samoa.”
