Miss Fiji for Miss World

LICE MOVONO
Tuesday, May 02, 2017

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Nanise Rainima, a former Miss Hibiscus and Miss Fiji is vying for the title of Miss World Fiji. Picture: NIYAAZ DEAN

Update: 6:24PM TWENTY five year old Nanise Rainima is not a stranger to Fiji, having been one of those rare few to have carried the unofficial title of Fiji's sweetheart.

The former Miss Fiji comes into the limelight again as one of the 15 finalists of the Miss World Fiji Pageant, the local qualifier to one of the world's oldest pageant which will take place in China towards the end of the year.

"I am very excited to be on the Miss World Fiji platforms, its one of things I had been looking forward to this year," Ms Rainima said.

"I want to help others learn a little bit more about my culture and I also hope to learn more about myself and the other contestants."

Ms Rainima was Miss Hibiscus 2014 and went onto be the last young woman from the capital city to represent the country to the Miss Pacific Islands pageant before the Miss Fiji Pageant in 2015.

The full time missionary who was educated at Suva Grammar School before graduating with a science degree from the University of the South Pacific said she wanted people to see her participation in the international pageant as a sign that there were a lot of opportunities for young women.

"I think that when you are given the right platform and opportunities, you can take it and use it to talk about your culture and your country which is what I would love to be able to do," she said.

"More importantly, this is an opportunity to learn about other people and understand why we have so many differences so we can learn to appreciate them."

A native of Namuka Village in Nakelo, Tailevu and a vasu of the chiefly island of Bau, Ms Rainima is best known for her trademark traditional itaukei hairstyle, the "buiniga".

She is a gifted musician, plays several instruments and has been the mistress of ceremony at several public events including the Fiji Performing Rights Association Music Awards Nominees Announcement Show 2016.

"I'd love to show that Fiji's creative arts is a huge part of the young generation that brings to light a fusion of our culture and the time we live in through the personalities of individuals as they express themselves in different forms of art."

http://fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=399027