Samoa’s most anticipated beauty pageant has named a new Miss Samoa and made history at the same time - with the winner taking the title 26 years after her mother was crowned.
Moemoana Safa’atoa Schwenke was named Miss Samoa 2023-2024, as the end of this year’s Teuila Festival celebrations wrapped up in Apia over the weekend.
The 23-year-old was born and raised in the motherland, but also grew up in New Zealand and Australia, where she and her family now live.
She is no stranger to the big stage; having performed siva and dances from around the Pacific as a member of the Matavai Pacific Cultural Arts centre started by her parents in Sydney, Australia, in 2013.
Schwenke is also an accomplished siva afi (fire knife) dancer and is one of the few female siva afi dancers in the world.
For her talent during the competition, she wowed the crowd with an impressive display of siva afi and ailao - the term given to describe the twirls and throws performed with the weapon used for the dance, known as a nifo oti (a kind of knife with a hook).
She won that category, as well as best siva Samoa, best sarong, best interview, an internet award and the equivalent of the evening gown in traditional pageants, best puletasi.
In an online post shared hours after her win, Moemoana Schwenke revealed it had been her dream since she was a little girl to win the title.
“I left my heart on the stage and the dream came true. Samoa, my beloved, serving you is my purpose.
“I promise to dedicate myself to serving Samoa with all my heart, soul and mind. Honouring our ancestors and nurturing our future generations in all I do.”