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July-Aug 2007 No.3 |
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[feature]
Brains and Beauty
Exclusive interview with Miss Heilala 2007 Tessi Toluta'u and Miss Heilala 2006 Sina Nauahi.
[Photo: left: Miss Heilala 2007 Tessi Toluta'u and Miss Heilala 2006 Sina Nauahi]
Sina and Tessi are only 19 years old but they have traveled the world as dancers and cultural ambassadors for the Polynesian Cultural Center Promotion Team. They are among the most beautiful, intelligent, talented, and extremely down-to-earth individuals a person can come across. Sina has just completed her reign at Miss Heilala 2006-07 (Miss Heilala is Tonga's official national beauty pageant) and Tessi has just been crowned Miss Heilala 2007-08. They have been friends since their childhood, have gone through similar experiences, and are both all about doing something positive for our Tongan youth and all Pacific Islander young people.
The Pacific Eye Magazine sits down for a conversation with these amazing young women at Friends Café in the heart of Nuku’alofa in the Kingdom of Tonga.
PEM: Please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Tessi: My name is Tessi Leila Toluta’u and I was actually born in Tonga, in Vaiola hospital. I lived here in Tonga until I was 5 years old and then we moved to Hawaii. I am the 4th of 6th kids; we have 3 girls and 3 boys. My mother is palangi and she is from Alaska and my dad is from Pangaimotu in Vava’u. We actually have lived in Hawaii for the past 15 years and I am currently at BYU majoring in Social Work with a minor in Psychology.
Sina: My name is Sina Uilani Nauahi. I am 19 years old. I was born and raised in Laie. I am from a family of 4 kids, I am number three and I have three brothers. I am currently working as a dancer for the promotional team at the Polynesian Cultural Center and I hope to attend BYU-Hawaii this coming Fall.
Sina & Tessi: We both love to eat, that’s something that people don’t usually know about us!
PEM: As the former and reigning Miss Heilala, what would you like other people to know about the Miss Heilala Pageant?
Tessi: I know that a lot of people don’t look highly on beauty pageants and I understand why, but I think that the Miss Heilala is different. It doesn’t just focus on beauty, it always focuses on your talent, the way you present yourself, how well you know your traditional dances, and many other things not just beauty.
Sina: The Heilala pageant is not just a beauty pageant; it’s also a cultural pageant. You learn about yourself and you learn a lot about your culture and also about Tonga.