Miss Samoa Hawaii Tanara Sue Faamausili plans on pursuing higher education and getting her Masters degree with or without a crown.

"Crown or no crown, I have a job back home in Hawaii. I'm working for the Hawaii State Judiciary, and it's under Probation Services as a Judicial Clerk. I would love to go back home and obtain my Masters degree either in criminal justice or law," said the 21-year-old.

"It's a way of service to my community. There were so many things I wanted to touch base on based on my personal experiences and what I see within our Samoan community. 

"Criminal justice, and public administration just clicked right in. I felt that being able to be of service to the public was one way I could serve not only our Samoan community but other outside communities."

Tanara believes that the Miss Samoa platform is one of the greatest ways to express the values of a tamaitai Samoa.

"As a child of the diaspora, I, myself am a daughter of Samoa and I feel that being able to express my cultural identity through a platform such as this is just very beautiful. 

"It's a unique way for me to do it in the motherland. To share the stage with other pageant sisters makes it more memorable for me as well."

The highlight of her journey was meeting her pageant sisters along with the reigning Miss Samoa and Miss Pacific Island, Moemoana Safaatoa Schwenke.

"Coming into the Miss Samoa pageant, I was very excited to see what knowledge and wisdom could be shared among all us including Moe. Its because everyone has a platform of their own and it is very beautiful to see how they can use the stage. 

"For me, as Miss Samoa Hawaii, from one Pacific Island to another, it's awesome to learn from tamaitai Samoa that came from Utah, NZ, and Australia."

"I'm advocating for cultural preservation. I take pride in our Samoan culture. Firstly, for someone who doesn't speak the language fluently, I would like to but along the way, especially through this pageantry, I am learning more about how to speak and converse with my pageant sisters and family members who are here in Samoa. 

"I find it very fulfilling and exciting. It's just amazing. Blessed and honoured to do it here in Samoa."

She is the daughter of To'oto'oalii Tuvaoga Sr and Sue Meredith Faamausili. She is a proud tamaitai Sāmoa from the beautiful island of Hawaii Nei. She hails from the beautiful villages of Vaiala and Faleatiu of Sāmoa. She also hails from the villages of Alofau, Masefau, Pava’ia’i, and Utulei. 

Tanara is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at West Oahu. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration. She also has a certificate in Hawaiian Pacific Island Studies.