Preserving culture with MISS FESTIVAL QUEEN
CULTURE PLAYS an integral role in the Land of wood and water. No other competition embodies the way of life for Jamaicans more than the Miss Festival Queen Competition. According to coordinator StacyAnn Robinson, the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition began in 1963 as the ‘Miss Jamaica Beauty Contest’, but the need for a greater emphasis on cultural awareness prompted a shift in focus in 1975.
There is an emphasis on cultural awareness, community involvement, general knowledge, creative talent through the performing arts, personal achievements, as well as the role of women, both locally and internationally. The competition, which is usually held in the first week of August, comes as one of the highlights of the Emancipendence celebrations.
“Miss Festival Queen has grown over the years,” Robinson asserted, “and has become the premier forum for intelligent, culturally aware and poised young ladies seeking a platform for their contribution to nation building, meeting the competition’s objectives.”
CULTURAL AMBASSADORS
Many of their queens have gone on to higher heights, becoming cultural ambassadors and nation builders in their respective careers. Some of these past festival queens include Dahlia Harris, Toni-Shae James-Freckleton, Tanesha McGhie, Marsha Barnett, Jacinth Hall-Tracey, Kemesha Kelly, Jennifer Small, Krystal Tomlinson, and Sashane McDonald, just to name a few.
“The 2017 Miss Jamaica Festival Queen, Dainalyn Swaby, who is the first Festival Queen from St Elizabeth to cop the national title, will be engaged and in numerous events and activities to shed light on the programme as well as her national project, which will be launched in the coming months. Swaby’s project focuses on enlightening youths on entrepreneurship by providing the necessary avenues for information sharing. Additionally, she will be the brand ambassador during her year of reign for City of Kingston Sodality,” Robinson shared.
How do you become Festival Queen? You will first have to become a parish queen, submitting a proposal for a national project. “Upon winning the Miss Jamaica Festival Queen title, this project becomes a national project, while still having a community component. The past queens have consistently honoured this and we are sure that the 2017 National Festival Queen project by Miss Swaby will be no different,” she added.
The Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition is not a ‘beauty’ pageant and, as such, does not place any emphasis on beauty as a criterion for entry or otherwise.
Entrants in the competition have to be between 18 and 25 years of age, be actively involved in her community, keep abreast of current affairs, highlight personal achievements, as well as the role of women both locally and internationally, possess cultural awareness and must be able to showcase a creative talent through the performing arts. Their detailed entry form with all requirements can be accessed via their website at www.jcdc.gov.jm.