Ngatepaeru Marie Maoate of Aitutaki will represent the Cook Islands at the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant 2025 in Honiara, Solomon Islands next month, marking the country’s return to the regional pageant after a hiatus since 2019.

Twenty-two-year-old Maoate, the reigning Maine Kūki ʻAirani Aotearoa 2024, will be among seven other Pacific Islands contestants competing for the regional crown.

The theme for the 36^th Annual Miss Pacific Islands pageant, to be held from February 1-8, is “Leadership in Diversity and Adversity”.

Clee Marsters, president of the Miss Cook Islands Pageant Association (MCIPA), said the national committee endorsed Maoate to represent the country at the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant.

Marsters said he confirmed her participation with the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant (MPIP) board over the weekend with the support of the Maine Kuki Airani Association New Zealand committee and major sponsor TAV.

“MCIPA is excited with our representative. This is the start of our 2025 pageant calendar, starting with MPIP in the Solomons, then Miss Cook Islands later this year,” Marsters said.

Maoate was born in Aitutaki on March 14, 2002, to parents Peckham Maoate, also from Ngatangiia, and Tu Maoate, from Matavera. She is the fourth child of six.

She attended Araura Primary School until Year 5 and migrated to New Zealand where she attended Kedgley Intermediate School, then Aorere College until Year 13.

Maoate, who flew into Rarotonga and Aitutaki last month to reconnect with her family, her heritage, and to express her appreciation to the people for their support, works as a youth support worker in Auckland.

She was crowned Maine Kūki ʻAirani Aotearoa 2024 in Auckland, New Zealand, in November 2024 and was also awarded the Miss Photogenic and Miss Interview awards.

In a social media post, Maoate said she was honoured and proud to announce her participation in the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant 2025.

“This platform is an opportunity for me to represent my beautiful country, my community, my family, and share my aspirations and talents,” she said.

“As Miss Cook Islands, I present to you my authentic self and the qualities that make me a strong candidate. I endeavour to inspire others by showcasing my cultural roots and personal accomplishments.”

According to Marsters, Maoate will be accompanied by a small team consisting of a stylist, a choreographer and a costume designer to Honiara.

“It is all last minute, we don’t have time to fundraise so if there is anyone who would like to support Ngatepaeru’s campaign, we are asking for cash donations for flights and also resources for her costumes that are polished parau, rito, black pearls etc,” Marsters said.

“We wish Ngatepaeru all the best and ask for all your prayers.”

The association’s last contestant at the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant was Terito-o-Ngakura Story, who competed in Papua New Guinea in 2019. The pageant was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and resumed 2023.

The other seven contestants at this year’s Miss Pacific Islands Pageant are Miss American Samoa Pauliana Felise-Vitale, Miss Kiribati Kimberly Tokanang, Miss Nauru Charlei Andriana Deiye, Miss Papua New Guinea May Torrowi Hasola, Miss Solomon Islands Elsie Polosovai, Miss Tonga Racheal Guttenbeil, and Miss Samoa Litara Ieremia-Allan. 

Moemoana Safa’ato’a Schwenke of Samoa is the reigning Miss Pacific Islands.