Miss Rotorua 2023 contestants celebrate diversity of this year’s pageant

Three of the Top 20 Miss Rotorua 2023 contestants getting ready to walk the catwalk. (From left) Pareuruora Rangirangi, Varsha Karunakar and Tiana Hodge.

At 77, Tiana Hodge is the oldest woman to compete in a Miss Rotorua pageant.

She says she’s spent most of her life being shy and introverted. By participating in this year’s pageant, however, she hopes to encourage younger women “not to wait 50 years” to step outside their comfort zones.

She is among 21 contestants in this year’s pageant, which celebrates diversity.

They are in the midst of preparations for the grand final event at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre on September 16, where the winner will be crowned.

Hodge said she was “absolutely nervous” to be on stage but it was important to her to be a role model for younger women.

Miss Rotorua 2023 Contestants

Hodge said she was admiring the other contestants from her perspective as a person with an “elongated lifespan” and noticing how young some of the other competing girls were.

She said she was impressed by the contestants in their teens and early 20s for putting themselves into the spotlight.

“I tried to remain hidden for most of my life and this [opportunity] fell into my path.”

She had found a new love for dressing smart through the pageant experience so far.

“I was in need of an upgrade,” she said with a laugh.

Tiana Hodge, 77, is the oldest woman competing in this year’s Miss Rotorua competition.

She said staying beautiful at 77 was an “accident, really”.

She was looking forward to seeing the transformations of all the contestants in eight weeks’ time.

Fellow contestant Varsha Karunakar moved to Rotorua from India seven years ago and said it was important every woman was represented on the stage.

After Karunakar married she had found herself feeling lost.

“I had lost myself somewhere. This is the right time to get back to [my] dreams,” she said, of her decision to take part in the pageant.

She said there was inner beauty inside “each and every girl” and believed every culture had an important place on the stage.

“Every woman has their own beauty inside.”

Varsha Karunakar said it was important every woman was represented on the stage at the Miss Rotorua pageant.

Karunakar said she was feeling “really excited” about the crowning night and “a bit nervous”. She had been enjoying the journey of the pageant so far, especially the photoshoots.

Pareuruora Rangirangi is a Rotorua mother of four and said she brought her nurturing side to the pageant with the younger contestants.

She said she was competing to let all women know, “It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’ve come from - beauty is on the inside”.

This year was Rangirangi’s first opportunity to participate in the show after many years of wanting to get involved.

Pareuruora Rangirangi, a Rotorua mother of four children, is competing in this year's pageant.

“Every year I wasn’t the best version of myself.”

She said she had been “hooked on alcoholism” but was doing better this year.

Rangirangi said she had “a lot to give” and believed she would represent a strong wāhine (woman) figure in the competition.

She has never competed in a beauty pageant and was looking forward to a challenge and to celebrating the other women.

Rangirangi said her favourite part about rehearsing for the crowning night was watching other contestants flourish.

Pageant director Kharl WiRepa said audiences were in for another “fabulous year of crowning the next Miss Rotorua”.

He said this year’s competition was “the best we’ve ever had” with 21 women competing for the coveted title of Miss Rotorua.

Pageant director Kharl WiRepa said audiences could expect another “fabulous year of crowning the next Miss Rotorua”. Photo / Andrew Warner

WiRepa said the pageant was full of diversity and showcased the beauty of the women in the Rotorua community.

“We are so excited to have such a diverse range of women aged from 15-77 years old. Beauty has no limits.”

He said the Miss Rotorua contestants will be preparing for the grand finals night by receiving runway training, rehearsing their talents for the talent section and fundraising for the community.

Seasons 1 and 2 of Gowns and Geysers, a documentary show about the pageant filmed in 2021 and 2022, are streaming on Māori+.

WiRepa said this year’s pageant was not being filmed.

The 21 contestants this year are Harmony Habib, Emma Downes, Alyssa Epplett, Amaleigh Manktelow, Braxton Te Riini, Riley Roebuck, Chiffon Newton, Aliyah Norfolk, Natasha Stanton, Dushi Mudalige, Tiaha Nicholson, Varsha Karunakar, Ursula Kara, Teawhimai Sutton, Pareuruora Rangirangi, Tiana Hodge, Autumn James, Jamie Clarke, Desire Whinetapu Rangitoheriri, Maioha Ruakawa Phillips and Mihikore Rangi.

Michaela Pointon is an NZME reporter based in the Bay of Plenty and was formerly a feature writer.