Tourism
“I did my best Samoa” Tausala Samoa Iliganoa Feagaimalii Soti
By Jeannie Penehuro/
Apia, SAMOA – 18 February 2026 – The first thing the Tausala Samoa Iliganoa Feagaimalii Soti Mapu did when she arrived back home on Monday was to acknowledge the support of all Samoans for her while she competed in the Miss Pacific Pageant in Fiji last Saturday.
“Although I did not achieve my goal, Samoa, I did my best and I thank you all for the support and encouragement while I was in Fiji,” she said.
Iliganoa claimed third place in the pageant that Miss Fiji won the crown.
While she fell short of the crown, her elegance, confidence, and passionate advocacy left a lasting mark on the audience and captured the admiration of the Pacific community that followed the competition closely.
Comments on social media reflect on her journey was not only a personal achievement but the collective spirit of a nation that values service, culture, and resilience.
Miss Pacific Islands 2026 Final Results
- Miss Pacific Islands 2026 – Miss Fiji
- 1st Runner-Up – Miss Papua New Guinea
- 2nd Runner-Up – Miss Samoa
- 3rd Runner-Up – Miss Tonga
- 4th Runner-Up – Miss Cook Islands
The 37th Miss Pacific Pageant also bid farewell to outgoing 2025 Miss Pacific, Litara Ieremia Allan as Samoa prepares to host the 38th Pacific Pageant next year.
The outgoing 2025 Miss Pacific, Litara Ieremia Allan with the 2026 Miss Pacific contestants in the lead up to the Fiji Pageant last weekend.
A Malu i Fale, e Malu i Fafo
The Miss Pacific Islands Pageant is far more than a beauty contest.
It is one of the region’s most respected platforms, celebrating young women who embody intelligence, cultural pride, leadership, and service and Iliganoa’s performance highlighted her dedication to issues that are important to the Pacific communities.
Each year, the pageant highlights issues affecting Pacific communities and the theme for this year is Cyber Security.
Iliganoa said it was timely for such critical topic as Pacific nations navigate the challenges of digital transformation, online safety, and technological growth.
During the pre-pageant interview, Iliganoa delivered a powerful message highlighting the importance of grounding modern issues in cultural wisdom.
She referenced the Samoan proverb: “A malu i fale, e malu i fafo.”
(When families are protected, society is protected.)
She emphasized that safety begins at home, through education, values, and awareness and extends outward into communities and digital spaces.
“Just as families nurture and protect their children offline, they must also guide and safeguard them online,” she said.
Since the Miss Pacific Pageant’s inception, Samoa has won 9 times, Cook Islands 8, American Samoa 6, Fiji 4, Tonga 3 and Papua Niu Guinea 3.