Without the support of her family Mafi Tu'inukuafe, Tonga's Miss Heilala 2010-11, would not have been able to represent Tonga at the Miss South Pacific Pageant held in Papua New Guinea from November 21-27, where she impressed the judges with her fabulous traditionally-inspired dress.

Mafi (18), the youngest of the 11 contestants, did not place in the overall results but was awarded prizes for the pageant's "Miss Friendship" and the "Best Traditional Wear" for her dress made of tapa cloth and decorated with black pearls and coconut husk.

But Mafi's stunning handcrafted dress almost didn't make it from Tonga to PNG, when Mafi and her family were asked to pay over AUD$700 in excess baggage on the final leg of the flight from Brisbane to Port Moresby.

Mafi's chaperone, her mother Tepola Lolohea, told Matangi Tonga Online that they thought the excess baggage had been paid all the way through from Tonga.

"We could not leave her baggage behind because that was her competition outfit and, luckily, I still had my son's prize money after being awarded the Dux of St Andrews High School, and so we were able to pay for it," she said.

Memorable experience

Mafi returned to Tonga last week and at the Tonga Visitor's Bureau on December 3, talked about her Pageant experiences.

Mafi said her most memorable experience in PNG was interacting with local people when they went out to the villages and met people there.

However, Mafi suggested that in future the government and the Heilala Committee might consider reviewing government's financial assistance in supporting Miss Tonga when participating the regional event. Although the Ministry of Tourism paid the airfares for herself and her chaperone and raised $1000 for expenses, and the Pageant covered the accommodation in Papua New Guinea, Mafi said her family covered her other expenses in the Miss South Pacific pageant including her pageant outfits. "It was too much since everything in Port Moresby was expensive but I am lucky because I had my family's support," she said.

Mafi's mother Tepola said later that the family paid over $8000 for her several outfits and other expenses.

"Mafi was going to represent Tonga she was not going to represent herself or her family, and we wanted her to represent the country she was raised up in and was proud of by wearing the best," said Tepola, who operates a small furniture making enterprise, the 'Esiaola at Havelulotu.

"Mafi is a proud Tongan and was honoured to represent her country in the Miss South Pacific pageant. She did her best and was commended by others in Port Moresby as being the most down to earth island girl and we are proud of her," said Tepola.

Financial burden

The CEO of the Ministry of Tourism, Sakopo Lolohea, said it was his personal opinion there needed to be a review of the government's financial support for Miss Tonga in participating the Miss South Pacific Pageant. He agreed that putting the financial burden on the Miss Tonga's shoulders was too much.

Meanwhile, Mafi is continuing her role as a tourism ambassador for Tonga during her year as Miss Heilala.

"For me winning Miss Heilala is not a prize but a responsibility and I am proud to represent Tonga", said Mafi who has secured a scholarship to study law at Waikato University in 2011.

Miss South Pacific

Miss Cook Islands, Joyana Meyer won the Miss South Pacific 2010-11 crown.

Other place getters were: the 
1st runner up, Miss Aotearoa (NZ);
2nd runner up, Miss Samoa;
3rd runner up, Miss Fiji;
and 4th runner up, Miss Hawaii.

Other prizes went to: Best sarong, Talent & Photogenic, Miss Cook Is; Best Traditional Wear and Best Friendship-Personality, Miss Tonga; Tourism award, Miss Aotearoa (NZ);
 Miss Elegance, Miss Hawaii Is; 
 Miss Internet, Miss Samoa.

Miss Tonga's Traditional Wear dress was donated by Latu Takapu, the Tonga Visitor's Bureau Representative in Los Angeles and completed with finishing touches, including the umbrella, by Tongan fashion designer Feliuaki Taulanga of Folaha.

Also accompanying Mafi to PNG was her hairdresser Vaisima Langi from Tonga and make-up artist Paea Williams from the USA, who was a former MIss Heilala herself.