Miss Samoa, Litara Ieremia-Allan captivated audiences at the Miss Pacific Islands pageant in the Solomon Islands as she spoke about her culture in the pre-pageant interview.

The pre-pageant interviews were held on Thursday, with the crowning night scheduled for Saturday.

Litara began her speech by honouring her Pacific heritage and the cultural significance of the pageant. 

She started by singing a song in her mother tongue that spoke of how the tava'e bird finds in the glory of its feathers, and she likened it to how she stands in the full magnificence of her aganu'u and culture.

With these words, she expressed the pride she feels in her Samoan heritage and values.

Litara emphasised the richness and diversity of Pacific cultures, noting the participation of contestants from Melanesian, Polynesian, and Micronesian backgrounds. 

“This pageant celebrated Pacific beauty, Pacific intelligence, and Pacific leadership,” Litara explained, “centring it on the thought that our women are the weavers, handicraft producers, nurturers, and fierce guardians of our dialects and customs,” she said.

“When I sing the lyrics my ancestors once sang, when I retell the stories of old in my mother tongue to young ones, I feel, I hear, and I know the essence of my culture in every word."

She also celebrated the efforts of communities across the Pacific in revitalising their languages and protecting cultural identity. 

Litara’s second point focused on the preservation of cultural knowledge. 

She underscored the importance of cultural events and festivals, such as the Miss Pacific Islands pageant, the Hibiscus Festival, and the Melanesian Arts and Cultural Festival, in safeguarding our traditions. 

She also spoke about mentorship and apprenticeship programs that pass down essential skills, crafts, and stories. Her participation in the Anofale program in Samoa last year, where she learned from influential women leaders, was a powerful example of how the transfer of cultural knowledge can be nurtured.

Finally, Litara emphasised that culture must be lived and applied. Referring to the Pacific Region's Cultural Strategy 2022-2032.

“Culture must be lived out,” she said. “It is a key catalyst for the development of our island nations.”

Her speech was a powerful reminder of the importance of cultural pride, preservation, and celebration in the Pacific.