Miss Cook Islands Costume 2013

This ten piece pageant costume was designed for Teuira Napa who represented the Cook Islands at the 2013 Miss South Pacific Pageant held in Honiara in the Solomon Islands. The costume was designed by her mother Tarani Napa and is made from rito (coconut leaf), black pearls, parau (pearl shell), pipi shells and woven rito and parau fans.

Significance

Tarani Napa is a designer and artist based in Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. The inspiration for this design was based on her memories of growing up on the island of Penrhyn (Tongareva) in the Northern Cook Islands. As a child she would weave rito fans with her grandmother, a skill she states all girls had to learn. Napa’s passion for weaving is reflected in the heavy use of rito (coconut leaf) and the large number of rito and parau fans used to create different pieces of the costume including the collar, overskirt, belt and bra.

Miss South Pacific Pageant

The Miss South Pacific Pageant was developed by the Government Samoa to promote the many cultures of the Pacific Islands region. The pageant is held annually and is hosted by a different country in the region. In 2013, Teuira Napa was crowned the overall winner of the Miss South Pacific Pageant. This costume also won the ‘traditionally inspired category of the pageant.