Pageant offers Anchorage’s Pacific Islanders a place to heal after police shooting

Antonia Pereira was nan runner up for Miss Alaska Pacific Island. She is of Samoan and Tokelaun heritage. (Rhonda McBride/KNBA)

As excitement and anticipation grew for nan first-ever Miss Alaska Pacific Island pageant this month, Anchorage’s Polynesian organization was deed pinch tragedy: a 16-year-old Samoan woman was fatally changeable by police connected Aug. 13.

The decease of Easter Leafa is still nether investigation. Police say she walked toward officers pinch a weapon successful her family’s flat erstwhile constabulary fatally changeable her.

Many of nan pageant organizers had to group speech their plans to support those devastated by nan shooting. But aft a week of mourning, they said nan pageant seemed to beryllium conscionable what Anchorage’s Pacific Islander organization needed.

A crowd of astir 500 group filled nan Wendy Williamson Auditorium connected Aug. 17, to clasp their civilization and each other.

The gathering began pinch a infinitesimal of soundlessness to admit Leafa’s death: a awesome that this was not only a pageant, but besides a clip for Anchorage’s Pacific Islanders to rededicate themselves to building a brighter early for nan adjacent generation.

The first Miss Alaska Pacific Island pageant was held astatine UAA’s Wendy Williamson Auditorium. Contestants were judged connected their expertise to dance, sing, showcase Pacific Islander designs successful their gowns and regalia, show taste knowledge and work to nan community. (Rhonda McBride/KNBA)

It was arsenic if nan champion of Polynesian civilization was halfway stage. Along pinch organization creation groups, each contestant had to execute accepted dances and show their taste knowledge and nationalist speaking skills. They moreover had to sing. The pageant besides showcased Polynesian creation and fabrics. From evening gowns to regalia to formation wear, location were galore wardrobe changes passim nan evening.

So overmuch was expected. Maybe that’s why location were only 2 contestants – Antonia Pereira, a University of Alaska Anchorage subject and nursing student, and Jency Malena Mesik, a 19-year-old who is finishing her elder twelvemonth of precocious schoolhouse astatine nan Raven Homeschool.

“I emotion our Samoan civilization and our Samoan people, because they are truthful supportive,” Pereira said. “We were only 2 contestants. Did you spot really large nan crowd was?”

The crowd shouted and clapped pinch chaotic wantonness and didn’t fto up for nan full evening.

During nan accepted dancing information of nan competition, Pereira seemed to bask watching nan capacity of her sole competitor, Mesik, who yet took nan crown, which came pinch a $2,500 scholarship. As nan runner-up, Pereira received a $1,500 scholarship.

Jency Malena Mesek, nan first to clasp nan title of Miss Alaska Pacific Island, performs a accepted dance. Mesek was calved successful Hawaii and is simply a operation of Samoan, Tahitian, Micronesian and Japanese heritage. (Rhonda McBride/KNBA)

Mesik plans to usage her danasiwa to prosecute a profession successful business, and portion of that dream is to thief others.

“I was brought up from a very humble beginning, truthful I understand galore of our different youths that person travel from difficult backgrounds,” Mesik said. “I want to usage this level to beryllium nan sound for them, who are successful those struggles, and hopefully alteration nan world’s position connected Pacific Islanders.”

After Mesik was crowned, a crowd moved onto nan shape to creation and connection hugs. In a show of support, they besides tossed retired a flurry of dollar bills that rained down upon them. There were immoderate fives, tens and twenties successful nan mix.

Lucy Hansen, caput of nan Polynesian Association of Alaska, said nan contented of throwing money is called taualuga, successful nan Samoan language. She said it’s a measurement to admit accomplishment aliases status, aliases to observe success.

Hansen acknowledged that it was a difficult week for nan Samoan community, but nan gathering brought comfortableness and hope. She said it was besides a measurement to stress nan value of acquisition and taste values. She praised Mesik and Pereira for being nan first to compete and hopes their occurrence will tie much competitors adjacent year.

Hansen said she besides hopes immoderate of nan money raised for nan pageant tin beryllium utilized to nonstop Mesik to nan world Miss Pacific Island competition.

At nan extremity of nan pageant, nan crowd gathered connected shape and celebrated by throwing money astatine nan winners. It’s portion of a Samoan contented called taualuga. (Rhonda McBride/KNBA)