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The Inspiring Journey of Tonga’s Miss Galaxy Pageant

This week, the Miss Galaxy Pageant will be celebrating its 31st anniversary. Established in 1993, Miss Galaxy was born from a desire to address pressing social issues, particularly the stigma surrounding AIDS in Tonga, using the arts as a medium for change. Founded by the Tonga Leitis Association, Tonga’s first and only LGBTQI organisation in the region, the pageant emerged from a passionate community effort.

“When we started in 1992, it was by five uneducated people, and I’m one of those people,” Joey Joleen Mataele, the Executive Director of the Tonga Leitis Association shared. Despite their lack of formal education, they were driven by a common goal: to combat the stigmatisation of their community as the cause of AIDS. The catalyst for their efforts was the death of the first person from Tonga to succumb to AIDS, a member of their community.

Realising the need for education and advocacy, they formed the Tonga Leitis Association in 1992. However, their initial attempts to secure funding through proposals were unsuccessful due to their inexperience in communicating with donors. Undeterred, they continued to push forward, eventually creating Miss Galaxy as a way to generate resources and raise awareness for their cause.

“It started as just a small pageant,” Joleen shares, who goes on to say “I came up with the name Galaxy because I thought, hey, we’re different. We can bring the stars and the moon and everything and put it together. We’ll look like a Christmas tree that blooms in summer.” 

From its humble beginnings, Miss Galaxy quickly grew in popularity. Recognising its potential, the event moved to larger venues, ultimately settling at the Queen Salota Memorial Hall, which accommodates around 2,000 people. “Her Highness Lupe Pa’u actually went and asked Queen Nanasi Pa’u, who was patron of the hall at the time, if we could move the pageant over there. And she said, yes, that’s fine.”

A Pageant with a Purpose

Miss Galaxy stands out from traditional beauty pageants by focusing on education and advocacy. “It’s a pageant with a lot of education. It’s not about beauty. We’ve totally taken the beauty out,” Joleen shares. Instead, the categories for the pageant align with the work of the Tonga Leitis Association such as gender-based violence, recycling, condom creation, and business talent. The aim is to educate and inspire, using the pageant as a platform to address important issues.

The contestants from the Miss Galaxy Pageant also go to the prison, disability home, children’s ward, and the paediatric ward and present gifts as a way to give back to the community. 

Over the years, Miss Galaxy has awarded 72 scholarships to school dropouts, supporting their education and empowering them to pursue their dreams. The pageant also funds various anti-poverty programs and other community projects, making a tangible difference in people’s lives.

An International Stage

Miss Galaxy has gained international recognition, attracting participants and celebrities from around the world. Notable figures like Minnie Driver and Pamela Connolly have joined, adding star power to the cause. The pageant welcomes participants from diverse backgrounds, reflecting its inclusive and global spirit.

“We don’t do it because we want to be praised for it. When we are older, we’ll sit in our wheelchairs and go, thank God that we’ve done this, we have achieved it. This work will continue from generation to generation.” 

Miss Galaxy is more than a pageant; it is a testament to the power of community, creativity, and resilience. By using arts and crafts for advocacy, the founders have created a platform that not only celebrates beauty but also drives meaningful change. They invite everyone to join in this inspiring journey, as they continue to shine a light on important issues and make a positive impact on the world.

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