Island Achievers
American Samoa Teen Captures South Pacific Crown
A 19-year old college student who hopes to become an attorney in the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate General Corps was crowned the new Miss South Pacific 2000/2001. A freshman at the University of Portland in the U.S., Helen Afatasi Burke, was crowned October 26th in Pago Pago before a crowd of more than 300 people. She is the first Miss South Pacific of the new millennium. Burke is also the reigning Miss American Samoa.
The Miss South Pacific pageant, hosted by American Samoa, is part of the territory’s Moso’oi Festival/Drug Free Week. It took place in late October, 2000. The regional pageant was also part of American Samoa’s year round Centennial Celebration, marking the group’s 100 years as a U.S. territory. The event attracted 13-contestants from the region. Miss South Pacific Board chairman, Minister of Tourism Tuala Sale Tagaloa, said this “premier regional event” promotes the diversity of the different cultures in the region and further promotes the region as a destination. “This year’s theme, ‘We are One’, is celebrated in our unity,” said Tagaloa at the opening of the 14th Miss South Pacific Pageant.
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Since the first pageant in 1987, hosted by Samoa, the Miss South Pacific contest has been considered a “pageant with a difference” because of its uniqueness. It showcases the traditions of each island nation/territory from traditional costumes to talents. All 13 contestants participated in traditional wear, sarong, coconut, sash and talent competitions. The 13 contestants showed a lot of creativeness in each of category, especially in the coconut portion of the competition. The competition was narrowed down to five finalists for the question and answer session that would decide the winner.
As the new Miss South Pacific, Burke received a $5,000 cash award and other gifts. Burke took a year off from her U.S. college studies to fulfill her duties as Miss American Samoa. She currently attends the American Samoa Community College. Burke also won the Best Float, Best Talent and the National Tourism awards during the competition.
First runner up was Miss Samoa, 22-year-old Petra May Suhren. She is one of 13 children in her family. One of the crowd favorites, she is a professional auditor for the Central Bank of Samoa, having graduated from La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia with a bachelor of commerce degree. She received a $4,000 cash award and other prizes. Miss Samoa also won the Best Sash, Best Coconut and Best Traditional Wear awards. Second runner up, Miss Hawaii Samoa Vaneta April Moea’i, 24, a student at BYU-Hawaii, received a $3,000 cash award and other prizes. In third place was 23-year-old Miss Samoa New Zealand Elaine Robin Ward. A law student at Auckland University, she received a cash award of $2,000. Nineteen year old Miss Hawaiian Islands Jocelyn Keolalaulani Dalire placed fourth. She is 1999 graduate of Kamehameha Schools and received a $1,000 cash award and other prizes.
