Miss Sāmoa Litara Ieremia-Allan is crowned queen of the Pacific Islands 

Hamilton educator Litara Loma Leilani Ieremia-Allan has been crowned the new Miss Pacific Islands, continuing Sāmoa's reign in the regional pageant.

The 24-year-old beauty beat seven other contestants from American Sāmoa, the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Tonga to take home the title.

Ieremia-Allan is the 11th Sāmoan to win the Miss Pacific pageant since its inception 36 years ago. She succeeds her compatriot, Moemoana Safa’atoa Schwenke.

The crowning and gala night in Honiara on Saturday drew hundreds of spectators who gathered at the Friendship Hall and thousands more online to witness the culmination of a weeklong celebration.

But the ceremony was marred by several glitches that dampened the excitement of pageant fans.

Eyebrows were raised over the delayed announcement of Miss Tourism, which was eventually awarded to Miss American Sāmoa, Pauliana Felise-Vitale.

During a live telecast, the host and Master of Ceremonies (MC) faced jeers from the audience after interrupting the announcement of the final two winners - the first runner-up and Miss Pacific Islands - to name Felise-Vitale as Miss Tourism.

The situation became even more chaotic when the MC forgot to announce the first runner-up, proceeding instead to declare the winner of the pageant.

Miss Pacific Islands Pageant 2025 contestants. Photo/Miss Pacific Islands Pageant 2025

Members of the audience shouted reminders that the first runner-up had yet to be revealed, and it was Miss Tonga Racheal Guttenbeil who secured the title.

The six-hour ceremony concluded at midnight, local time, with viewers expressing their frustration on social media.

Despite the mishaps, the night belonged to Ieremia-Allan, who also won the awards for Miss Best Interview and Miss Photogenic, as well as the Miss Pacific Islands title and a prize of US$5000 (NZ$8833.92).

Litara received her crown from the outgoing Miss Sāmoa and Miss Pacific Islands, Schwenke.

Following her crowning, Ieremia-Allan expressed her gratitude and described the experience as surreal.

She praised her fellow contestants for their hard work throughout the weeklong pageant in Honiara.

Miss Pacific Islands Litara Ieremia-Allan performs a Sāmoan dance following her crowning in Honiara. Photo/Miss Pacific Islands Pageant 2025

Ieremia-Allan’s father is from Pietermaritzburg in South Africa and Raasay in Scotland, while her mother hails from various villages in Sāmoa, including Sapapalii, Fusi Safotulafai, Saoluafata, Lalomanu, Matautu Falealili, Vaie’e, and Sinamoga.

A former head girl at Hamilton Girls’ High School, Ieremia-Allan holds a Bachelor of Pacific Studies and has taught English and Pacific Literature at Manurewa High School in Auckland.

Other winners include fourth runner-up Miss Cook Islands, Ngatepaeru Marie Maoate; third runner-up Miss Solomon Islands, Elsie Polosovai, who received US$1000 (NZ$1766.78); second runner-up Miss American Sāmoa, Pauliana Felise-Vitale, who won US$2000 (NZ$3533.57), and first runner-up Miss Tonga, Racheal Guttenbeil who received US$3000 (NZ$5300.35).

Watch the full crowning ceremony here.