Latest Miss Pacific Islands Pageant controversy in the Solomon Islands shows our love-hate relationship with this annual spectacle.
I’m reminded of the words of former Miss Samoa and Miss Pacific Islands Fuatino Moemoana Sa’afatoa- Schwenke, when I asked during an interview in 2024, what is the relevance of beauty pageants?
Moemoana said, “It’s one where we promote, ‘E le o le fale, a’o le anofale’, it’s not about the exterior, but it’s about what’s within. And that’s our heart, that spirit and our values as women…”
I truly believe that anyone who makes the decision to put themselves forward to run in a pageant for the pride of their country, culture, traditions and heritage truly believes what Moemoana promoted during her reign (very eloquently I might add). And like her predecessors and the newly crowned Miss Pacific Islands, they will continue to hold this mantra that is supposed to set our Pacific Island pageants apart from the ‘Western’ pageants.
But scrolling through social media, reading the online chats, and articles about the recent results from the 2025 Miss Pacific Islands pageant held in the Solomon Islands, I don’t get a sense that the pageant is fostering feelings of heart, spirit or unity.
It makes me question, is it worth what these contestants go through to have to deal with all of the vitriol and online backlash that comes with it?
I am the first to admit I don’t know much about the world of pageants. The first one I ever reported on was over 20 years ago when the late Sala Sally Newsham was director of the Miss Samoa New Zealand pageant.
The work, time, effort and expense that went into the event was like nothing I had ever seen and I realised just how important this event was to our communities. I’ve had relatives and friends whose daughters have won the coveted titles for Samoa, that is the extent of my involvement.
Back then, I remember after Miss New Zealand Samoa was announced, there were murmurs and whispers that the results were rigged. The winner shouldn’t have won, it was biassed, etc etc this was all before the winner had left the stage and before the hall was packed up and cleared. The comments died down a few days later probably because we didn’t have social media platforms as we do now.
Fast forward to 2025 and the same murmurs, whispers continue, only this time we’ve gone global with our thoughts and outrage. We say what we think, we call out the judges’ bias, ‘the results were rigged’. We have instant access to the events which are now live streamed; anyone, anywhere can say whatever they want from the comfort of the armchair.
Back to the 2025 Miss Pacific Islands in the Solomon Islands, the event has just wrapped up and already the backlash has intensified. Some of the contestants are still making their way home from the pageant and they are having to contend with the world of keyboard warriors.
In this latest round head judge Leaiamatualesa Jerry Brunt has found himself at the centre of the controversy. He is being accused online of rigging the results and that he is being detained in the Solomon Islands.
His wife Fiaailetoa Chan Mow-Brunt clarified in a recent Samoa Observer story that her husband received a stop notice and was set to return to Samoa soon.
According to In-depth Solomons online news, Mr Brunt has defended the claims and says he has done nothing wrong.
Even veteran Tongan journalist Kalafi Moala has weighed in on the debate and says it’s not so much about who won, but that members of the Tongan community are concerned with the way things transpired with the judging system.
The debate shows no signs of slowing down and because of the online portal, it will continue until another event captures our attention.
Miss Samoa Litara Ieremia -Allan has won the Miss Pacific Islands title for 2025/2026.
There are those who believe she should not have won, it was rigged, it was biassed, the judges were dodgy, Miss Tonga Rachel Guttenbeil was named First runner up.
There are those who say Miss Tonga was robbed and she should have won. There are debates that it’s become too ‘Tonga versus Samoa’. Members of the Melanesian-Micronesian community say they should hold their own separate pageants because the Polynesian contestants always win, and that there is a bias towards fair skinned contestants.
Other contestants themselves have not escaped the criticism. The support groups are dodgy and not supporting their girls, accusations are flying of mismanagement, lack of preparation and people are calling for their heads.
And yet through all the comments, personal attacks, subtle digs, the class, camaraderie and professionalism that the contestants from the Miss Pacific Islands 2025 competition are displaying of heart, unity and support for each other is probably the only positive to come out of this.
There is a thought that pageants should be done away with, but I have a feeling that won’t happen.
This is something we love to hate.
