Miss Samoa, Litara Ieremia Allen, has won the 2025 Miss Pacific Islands title, securing back-to-back victories for Samoa at the prestigious regional pageant. Miss Tonga secured the first runner-up position, while Miss American Samoa was named second runner-up.
Litara, the daughter of David Allan and Wanda Ieremia-Allen, comes from a diverse cultural background. She is the granddaughter of Reverend Lale Ieremia and Tifilelei Alama Ieremia, and her heritage connects her to the villages of Sapapalii, Fusi Safotulafai, Saoluafata, Lalomanu, Matautu Falealili, Vaie’e, Sinamoga, as well as Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, and Raasay, Scotland.
Born and raised in New Zealand, Litara developed a deep connection to her Samoan roots through frequent visits to the islands. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Pacific Studies, a Postgraduate Certificate in Secondary School Teaching, and a Diploma in Christian Ministries.
She credited her journey to the crown to the Samoan proverb, E lele le toloa ae maáu ile vai – “The toloa bird may fly to greener fields, but will always return to the water where it was nurtured.” She had dedicated her win as Miss Samoa to her late grandmother, Tifilelei Ieremia, a beloved figure in the Congregational Christian Church Samoa (C.C.C.S.) parish in Fasitoó-Tai.
The pageant, distinct from other international beauty contests, features a sarong segment instead of swimwear and a traditional wear category, showcasing culturally inspired attire by Pacific designers.
Special awards were distributed prior to the main event. Miss Tonga received the Best Costume and Design Traditional Wear award, accompanied by a USD$1000 cash prize. Miss Papua New Guinea was honoured with the Best Sarong Wear award, receiving USD$300.
The People’s Choice Award was also bestowed upon Miss Tonga. Miss American Samoa earned the Miss Personality and Miss Tourism awards, along with a USD$400 cash prize for the former. Miss Samoa was recognized as Miss Photogenic, receiving a USD$1000 cash prize.
In the main pageant categories, Miss American Samoa won the Talent segment, securing a USD$500 cash prize. Miss Samoa excelled in the On-Stage Interview, also earning a USD$500 prize.
The final placements were as follows:
- Fourth runner-up: Miss Cook Islands
- Third runner-up: Miss Solomon Islands, awarded USD$1500
- Second runner-up: Miss American Samoa, awarded USD$2000
- First runner-up: Miss Tonga, awarded USD$3000
- Miss Pacific Islands 2025: Miss Samoa, awarded USD$5000
The newly crowned queen, Allen, spoke earlier about commitment to youth advocacy. “One thing that I hope to continue to do this week and beyond the pageant is to highlight our youth voices, which are often leading the charge in these areas,” she said.
The 36th edition of the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant featured eight contestants representing Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, American Samoa, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, and the Cook Islands. The event, held in Honiara, celebrated Pacific culture, leadership, and empowerment.
Originally known as the ‘Miss South Pacific Pageant’, the competition was established by the Samoan government in 1987 and was rebranded in 2014 to ‘Miss Pacific Islands’ to reflect its broader regional scope.
The outgoing queen, Moemoana Safato’a Schwenke also from Samoa, who had previously won all judged categories, passed the crown to her successor, marking Samoa’s consecutive victory in the pageant.
The Miss Pacific Islands Pageant, which celebrates Pacific identity and cultural heritage, will be hosted in Fiji next year, organizers announced.
