‘My heart is for Niue’: Beauty queen reflects on ‘heartwarming’ trip

An international beauty pageant contestant, who has overcome criticism about her roots, wants to inspire others from Niue to be proud of their heritage - especially after her moving trip back to her homeland.

Miss Niue International and Miss Face of Beauty World Percilla Alovili returned to Niue for the first time ahead of the country’s 50th Constitution Day celebration.

Alovili represented Niue in the Miss Face of Beauty World Pageant, and in September she was crowned the winner - despite some saying she wasn’t “Niuean enough” to claim the title.

“I know and I’ve seen some people have questioned how can I represent Niue [if] I don’t know the language and don’t know the culture.

“But I promise my heart is for Niue, before I even got there because of my grandma, I have so much love and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to serve through the pageants.”

Alovili speaking at Niue's Commercial Center. Photo/PMN News/Sariah Magaoa.

She says her trip to Niue was inspired by the desire to connect with her heritage.

“I promise my heart is for Niue, even before I got there,” she says.

“There were many different reasons [for my trip]. One, I’ve never been to Niue before, and I was representing Niue internationally, [so] I had to have experience being in Niue.

“When I was talking about Niue, it was from the small knowledge my Mum had, and my brother married a Niuean. So my sister-in-law educated me a lot about the Niuean culture.

“So I was telling my parents, I feel like it’s contradicting when I’m like ‘Hey come to Niue!’ but I’ve never been.”

She recalls the moment she landed on the island, and how special it was.

“When we landed, I literally held my breath and I was trying to record but my hand was shaking.

“When we were driving around, I was honestly mindblown of how beautiful Niue is.

“It was so emotional being there, I’ve heard so many stories about my grandma and how much she embraced her Niuean heritage. And I felt very sad our family never got that opportunity.”

Photo/Provided.

The pageant winner landed in Niue on the week of the 50th Pulefakamotu Celebrations, where she was invited to several events throughout the week.

Alovili says she was “embraced” by the Niue community on the island.

“When I went to the different events, the music festival the night I landed, an event in Tamakautoga, an event in Lakepa, it was going go, go!

“I realised how untouched Niue is, the culture is so strong and I was so surprised everyone speaks Niuean and I was so amazed, it put me in my place and I was like ‘I need to learn’.

“That’s something they were telling me that we’re so grateful you represent Niue, but please learn the language.”

Alovili, who was born in New Zealand, holds Samoan and Tongan heritage and credited her grandmother and great-grandfather of Tamakautoga in Niue for keeping her Niue roots strong.

At Niue’s National Showday, Alovili shared a speech with attendees which drew some strong emotions out of the pageant winner.

“I wrote a script, but when I was talking I said I can’t keep reading this and I shared from my heart what it meant to be in Niue.”

Alovili has now returned to Australia, where she plans to inspire other young Niue women to participate in international pageants.

“I’m really sad to leave Niue, but I’m so excited because I know I have so much work to do. I’m trying to find the communities in Sydney, and I’m really trying to connect as much with my Niuean roots as possible.

“Even now as I represent Niue at international pageants, I still feel inadequate to represent Niue. I understand some peoples concern for me representing Niue, but this is an opportunity to give everyone after us to not feel like this!

“Go and connect, you’re never too old, never too young and when you finally get the opportunity to go to Niue, go!

“When you get the opportunity to be surrounded by our Niue communities in your own separate countries, go!”

Photo/Provided.