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Typically wet Suva weather couldn’t take away from the performances by 12 of the Pacific's best young women as they took to the stage in Suva’s Albert Park last night for the first round of public judging for the 2009 Miss South Pacific Pageant title.
The displays of modeling and dancing skills by the contestants awed the crowd braving the Suva rain.
The contestants were judged in the Sarong/Sulu category and displayed outfits coinciding with the pageant theme “Preserving the environment the Pacific way”.
The contestants were judged for their performance in the areas of voice, personality, elegance, confidence and ability to demonstrate and the audience response.
For the Sarong/Sulu judging, one of the major requirements was that the Sulu/Sarong had to be no more than 3 metres and had to be worn or tied in a presentable manner.
Judging commenced after a group dance presentation by the contestants and reigning queen Vanessa Marsh.
The winner of the Sarong/Sulu category will be announced during crowning night on Saturday.
The following is a brief description of what each contestant wore and what themes their outfits portrayed:
Miss American Samoa - Lorisa Matautia
Matautia wore a simple yet elegant sarong displaying red and yellow hibiscus flowers representing the crisp and cool breezes of the Pacific. Her use of the hibiscus flower was to show the true spirit of the Pacific and to acknowledge the host nation’s biggest carnival, the Hibiscus Carnival.
Miss Niue - Carthy Lavani
Lavani walked on stage with her bright red sarong representing the color of the horizon. She chose red as it signifies passion, emotion and fire. Underneath her sarong was a wrapping of sea leaves which protects and moisturizes the skin. Lavani’s expressions and demonstrations resembled that of a sea goddess. Her overall presentation was based on the themes of peace and prosperity in the Pacific.
Miss Fiji - Merewalesi Nailatikau
Nailatikau was dressed in a Fijian sulu neatly tied up to her shoulders and reaching just below her knee. The white sulu with a combination of brown prints represented the traditional water vessels “Saqa”. Her attire also depicted to that of a Fijian maiden. Her overall presentation was based on sea water and the preservation of our oceans.
Miss Samoa - Tusisaleia Pomele
Pomele wore a lavalava with a combination of colors blue and white. The blue prints on her outfit represented the Pacific Ocean while white represented purity. Her overall presentation was based on the preservation of our ocean and the marine life.
Miss Solomon Islands - Millicent Barty
Barty appeared on stage with her beautiful two-piece nine-coloured sarong with each colour representing each of the nine provinces of her islands. She also used coconut shells to bind her outfit together, portraying the coconut as one fruit that serves many purposes for Pacific Islanders. Her overall presentation was based on environment sustainability.
Miss French Polynesia - Aruhoia Biret
Biret wore a two-piece sarong which had a black and white as well as a tiger skin color combination. Her presentation was based on rising ocean level and how the pacific can counter the problem as a united front.
Miss Tuvalu - Akelita Pasege
Pasege came on stage with a blue, black and white colored sarong. Blue represented the beautiful and vast Pacific Ocean that binds and unites the Pacific island nations while black represented the uncertain future of the Pacific due to climate change. White represented purity, hope and confidence.
Miss PNG - Antonnia Singut
Singut was dressed in a white and brown combination sarong with a canoe attached to her right hand and shells and necklaces depicting the medium of communication between the tribes and villagers in her country. Her overall presentation reflected unity, peace and prosperity in the Pacific.
Miss Kiribati - Taumuri Tetuai
Tatuai wore a simple yet elegant blue sarong with flowers and shells around her waist and head. Her overall presentation was based on ocean preservation. The color blue in her outfit represented the sky and the oceans.
Miss Tonga - Paea Williams
Williams came on stage with her modern multicolored sarong representing the modern women of today. The multi colors on her outfit symbolised the different and diverse cultures of the Pacific.
Miss Aotearoa - Paretaunu Randall
Randall put up one of the liveliest performances of the evening dressed in a blue and white sarong and danced in the traditional Moari way and also showed off her tattoos. Her overall presentation revolved around the importance of culture preservation.
Miss Cook Islands- Engara Gosselin
Gosselin was adorned in a yellow sarong with white frangipani floral prints on it. She also highlighted the daily chores of women from Pukapuka, the island she comes from. She also demonstrated taro planting in the Cook Islands on stage and her overall presentation was based on environment sustainability.
FijiLive
