Twenty-four-year-old Miss Papua New Guinea Josie Nicholas was crowned Miss Pacific Islands on Friday. After a three-year hiatus due to Covid, the pageant was held in Samoa last week with five participating countries under the theme – “Strength in Unity”.
Miss Papua New Guinea Josie Nicholas won the Best Talent with a dance and drama performance transitioning into playing the drums which she learnt growing up with her brother.
She also won People’s Choice Award for the highest number of Likes, 13,000, on her photograph featured on Vodafone Samoa’s FB page. And was crowned Miss Pacific Islands on Friday.
Miss Nicholas is the third Papua New Guinean to be crowned Miss Pacific Islands since PNG joined the Samoan Government-owned Pacific Islands pageant franchise in 2011.
She said, it has been a long time since PNG has won the People’s Choice Award.
She thanked Papua New Guineans and others who took the time to visit the Vodafone Samoa FB page and liked her photo.
She said she was overwhelmed and honored to be crowned Miss Pacific Islands and would do her best to represent the Pacific during her reign with dignity and respect for Pacific people and their cultures.
In other categories, Miss Nicholas covered Education as her Topic Presentation.
For the Traditionally Inspired Dress (TID) category she wore an exquisite piece celebrating women of different cultures in PNG. The TID was created by well-known PNG designer Wandid Amini Korimbo and scripted and choreographed by MPIP PNG. Korimbo’s piece was the winning TID at the MPIP PNG Project Runway held in Port Moresby in October last year.
In addition to other prizes, the winners received cash of $2000 USD for second runner up, $3000 USD for the first runner up and $4000 USD for Miss Pacific Islands.
The results:
WINNER & MISS PACIFIC ISLANDS 2023 – Miss PNG
Best Talent – Miss PNG
People’s Choice Award – Miss PNG (with 13.000 Likes on her photo).
Best Traditional Inspired Dress – Miss American Samoa
Best Sarong – Miss Samoa
Miss Personality – Miss Nauru
Miss Photogenic – Miss American Samoa
National Tourism Award – Miss Solomon Islands
Best Interview – Miss Solomon Islands
1st Runner-Up – Miss Samoa
2nd Runner-Up – Miss American Samoa
