Miss Pacific Islands Pageant PNG

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

As a charity organisation, the visitation is a show of support for non-government organisations. 

For Joela Leke, Pacific Balance Fund fulfilled her wish when it decided to sponsor her daughter’s participation in the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant PNG. 19-year-old Melody Leke successfully secured a sponsorship with PBF.

It may seem less significant to some eyes, but Joela was lost for words during the official announcing of Miss Pacific Balance Fund 2016.

“This is something special for me,” she said.

“This is Melody’s dream and thank God, the door has opened.”

The attire captures the history of the famous Hiri Trade, designed by Tabu Warupi from Central Province and worn by newly crowned Miss Pacific Islands PNG Abigail Havora.

The audience cheered in awe as the outfit was modeled by Miss Havora.

The two piece outfit (pictured) consists of a blue dress and a cloak made up of mini Lagatoi sails cut from coconut fiber, the same material used to make the sail of an actual Lagatoi.

Warupi said the frills are from the Motuan grass skirt worn by women to welcome the Lagatoi with singing and dancing.

Newly crowned Miss Pacific Islands PNG Abigail Havora says she has big shoes to fill as PNG has never won an international or regional crown since the first Miss PNG Eva Ani who went on to win the "Miss Asia" title in 1975.

Miss Havora will represent PNG at this year’s Pageant in the Cook Islands from December 6 - 12, 2015.

“We’ll see how it goes because PNG has a lot to offer. We are so diverse, the biggest country in the Pacific Islands, rich and beautiful.

The six contestants had the opportunity to visit five areas involving women and children as part of their preparations towards the crowning tonight (Saturday 14 November) in Port Moresby.

They began the week with a church service on Sunday at St John’s Anglican Church.

Miss Pacific Island Pageant PNG coordinator Molly O’Rourke said it’s traditional for the MPIP PNG to officially open its week-long program for the contestants.

Showcasing her designs at the recent Miss Pacific Islands Pageant PNG Project Runway, fashion designer Anna Amos says her motive behind her fashion label is modernising the traditional designs.

“I always use cultural elements to integrate into what modern PNG girls like to wear and hope one day my designs can be worn by women overseas,” said Amos.

Designer Genevieve Igara from Wantok Clothing believes there’s a bright future for PNG designers in the fashion industry.

The Project Runway will get underway on Saturday (31 October) in Port Moresby leading up to the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant in the Cook Islands in December.

This is an event to show off local designers and offer them an opportunity to participate in the MPIP by creating two outfits.

Designers have been encouraged to create and style a traditionally inspired attire and sarong beach wear.

The winning designs selected from the Project Runway will be worn by Miss PNG in the regional MPIP in the Cook Islands.

She is Samantha Vulum who is sponsored by Bank South Pacific (BSP) with a sponsorship of K15 000 towards the pageant.

Vulum is a staff member of BSP employed as a corporate administration officer and has offered her time and effort to participate in the pageant.

The 23 year old from West New Britain and Central Province parentage decided to join the pageant to support the MPIP PNG to raise funds for scholarships for girls.

“I want to help to assist girls to complete or continue their education in tertiary institutions throughout the country,” she said.

The pageant aims to raise money for a scholarship fund which assists young girls to complete their education in tertiary institutions and colleges around the country.

Lamana Hotel general manager Yiannis Nicolaou was pleased to support the pageant over the years and said they are happy to give back to the community and help to develop young girls.

In the last four years, the pageant has raised more than K400,000 for its scholarship fund and assisted 110 young girls from around PNG to complete their education.