Miss Pacific Island Pageant Queen Abigail Havora

This motivation began with current Miss PNG Abigail Havora, winning the crown and title as Miss Pacific Islands last year. 

Reigning Miss Pacific Island and Miss PNG, Abigail Havora, highlighted this important factor when acknowledging the three international judges at the project runway last night.

She noted that early missionaries who came into PNG were from Fiji, Tonga and the Cook Islands, where judges Epeli Rakai Tuibeqa, Sione Liafail Maileseni and Ellena Maineteremoana Tavioni are respectively from.

"These missionaries’ wives taught our women to sew, make handicrafts from pandanus and coconut leaves.

"These skills are still being practiced by homes right across PNG."

Common things associated with everyday lives of Papua New Guineans, from coconut fronds to woven mat, chicken feathers to kauri shells, bilums to laplap, were all used in the three-hour fashion frenzy at the Lamana Hotel, in Port Moresby.

10 local designers amazed the crowd bringing a definite 'wow' factor as expected, with designs inspired by the diverse unique culture, flora and fauna of PNG.

“Too many times, we keep ourselves in our shell, pageants like this bring out the best in us.”

She speaks from experience, saying that she has grown with the pageant.

Three young women, Rose Lakoro Pitoi, Dorothy Elliott and Hane Kokoha also want to take this path.

They have expressed interest in entering the pageant but haven't secured a sponsor to do so yet.

“I’m interested. I haven’t tried out in a pageant before but I’d like to give it a shot and if they can secure a sponsor for me, that would be really great,” says Rose.