Did the right girl win?
(What did Sina do after she won Miss Heilala? She cooked and served us burgers at Kaimai Burgers! haha!)
Did the right girl win?
YES!
Folks, Sina Nauahi is the real deal. Many have dismissed her simply because of her young age or that she isn’t Tongan enough, therefore, she wouldn’t make a proper representative of Tonga. I think before we try and impose our definitions and expectations on a Miss Heilala winner, let’s really look at the mission of the Miss Heilala pageant.
According to the Miss Heilala pageant website, the mission of the winner is defined as:
“……to act as a roving ambassador for Tonga’s tourism industry, joining delegations to overseas trade shows and promotions. She will also participate in the promotional activities of the Festival’s major sponsors. She may also be required to represent Tonga at other international pageants.”
That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less.
Sina, a promotional dancer for the world renown Polynesian Cultural Center, may be young but she has many years behind her as a cultural ambassador for PCC, traveling all over the world.
(Sina, exercising with the locals at the waterfront, near the spot where my bread and butter were stolen)
As a matter of fact, I believe Sina is due for a promotional trip to Japan soon. PCC’s promotional team don’t just dance, they also interact with many people worldwide, from leaders to average folks. She has a sound understanding of the tourism industry and that was reflected in her speech.
I believe her experience at PCC will greatly add to the mission of Miss Heilala, as outlined by the Heilala committee and to Tonga.
If we are looking for someone who fits our own definition of what it means to look or act Tongan, you are barking at the wrong pageant. If we are looking for a Tongan historian who can recite legends and Tongan history, again, wrong pageant. If we are looking for the next Rhodes Scholar to represent Tonga in worldwide tourism expos, wrong pageant again.
(Hanging out at Cafe Escape)
I think it’s important that we think globally here, think beyond our sandy shores of our small island. Today, a Miss Heilala winner must be sophisticated, eloquent, savy, educated, able to communicate the mission of Tonga’s tourism sector with the rest of the world.
Personally, If it were up to me and I had a budget of 10% of Bill Gates earnings, I would fly all three all over the world to promote Tonga. That’s how good they are.
August 1st, 2006 at 6:03 am
Congratulations Sina! Not afraid of the calories in that chocolate cake, now that’s points frum me.
August 4th, 2006 at 7:44 pm
I did not get to attend the pageant activities but I, too, agree that Sina will represent Tonga well. She won, and also deserved it!
August 5th, 2006 at 8:33 pm
Very nice photos. On normal situation I would not waste a moment on pageantry. I am of a group that sees that as a male organised commercialisation of woman that often ends up in abuse, degradation, and a perpetuation of a type of thinking that look at woman as sex objects, possessions to be had, and weaker of the genders, especially when all organised by men. However, sharing your experience have made to stop and look and thank God for you and sharing your experience. Go Girl.
August 25th, 2006 at 9:15 am
CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE GIVE ME SINA’S PHONE #.
SHE IS SOOO… CUTE, IS SHE SINGLE. SINA, CAN I TAKE YOU AROUND TONGA NEXT YEAR! OR MAYBE JUST AROUND THE NORTH SHORE
ON OAHU.
September 3rd, 2006 at 6:29 am
good try HALAL VUNA BABY, i think it’s more easier for you to try to go to heaven than trying to get sina’s phone # lol …………………
September 21st, 2006 at 4:49 am
She looks average. I guess everything else worked for her.
October 17th, 2006 at 4:22 pm
I think the pageant mission needs to change. We want what represents the real TOnga, not the mixed or diluted Tonga. What will our ancestors think about this girl representing Tonga and she can’t even pronounce tongan words properly!! Come on…lets find the REAL DEAL…not the PRETTY DEAL!!
October 19th, 2006 at 12:23 am
She is the next princess, I am the next King.
November 28th, 2006 at 3:23 pm
Congratulations! Nauahi. You’re pretty, talented and perfect for the Heilala mission.
I am just questioning the mission of the Heilala pageant. I guess because I grew up in Tonga and never really know the mission. Liealei kind of mention an important point to what the ‘Miss Heilala’ representing the Tonga Islands. Is it more for a person that can do the ‘best promotion’ or the ‘true promotion’ of Tonga.
To be fair for the sisters who only know Tonga, there should be a Miss Heilala for them who live in Tonga for a certain # of years. The Tongan-American Society or other overseas Tongan societies should do likewise. The overseas girls will always have the advantages to win with the money, talents, material things they have access to and have, the exposure to more of the world. Come on guys. We all know that. There is not really much of a competition with the girl who live in Tonga her whole life with not much around.
Plus, give a chance to our local Tongans to come out of their shells in Tonga and have the opportunities that we have in the other countries and to learn.
I love hearing a Miss Heilala from Tonga coming to represent our island of Tonga. An true ambassador from Tonga.
Many islanders need our help.
A Miss Heilala from Tonga in 2007.