SAMOA, February 1 - By: Marc Membrere

Longest reigning Miss Pacific Islands Seumanu Fonoifafo McFarland Seumanu has had a long and exciting journey over the past three years, so much that she feels she’s achieved all she set out to do.

Seumanu was crowned in 2019, and due to COVID-19 has held the title ever since. The crown will be passed on to her successor later this week and this time she’s ready to reflect on her journey.

A nurse by profession, she has been instrumental not just as the face of Samoa’s tourism industry but also the health sector.

The seriousness of the Measles outbreak of 2019 didn’t deter her from taking to the front lines with her sister nurses rolling out vaccination drives to the population.

That stint was the bridge that began the journey between the health and tourism sectors in Samoa.

Speaking to the Savali Newspaper exclusively on Sunday, Seumanu says it has been a humbling experience where she was not alone.
“We have a God that I believe in, and then we have family, and then we have our country. The amount of support that I get over and over again is really what’s helped me endure the last three years.

The challenges, the trials, the wins that have come with it has been a journey that I have shared with everyone,” Seumanu says.

The reigning Miss says that she has achieved what she set out to achieve and has done more than she could have ever imagined.

Being crowned Miss Pacific Islands she says, has opened doors for her not only in her education but in her career. Seumanu is now continuing her education and has been promoted to a Senior position at work.
And it doesn’t end there, since taking on the role her love for the culture has also grown.

While she prepares to hand over the sash and crown to her successor, she now takes on another! She was bestowed the Seumanu title at Salelologa by her family, and says it is an absolute privilege to receive it.

“The Seumanu title for me is very personal because it is also my family’s surname. One of the things that I wanted to do before I accept the title was to really understand what it was about and for what it meant,” she says.

“And for me it’s about service, it’s about giving back to my people, it’s about that commitment and that connection that will never end now between me, my family, friends, community, and our Samoa.”

When one door closes, another opens, and Seumanu sees this as an opportunity to continue her service to her family, which she thanks for their continuous support.

“Having the Seumanu title is a huge responsibility. I took the Miss Pacific Islands role very seriously, I will continue to serve this role the same level of service,” she says.

With just a couple more days before she passes on the crown, Seumanu’s advise to her successor are; understand the role, the commitment it entails and to embrace the journey.

Moving forward in life, Seumanu looks forward to spending more quality time with her family after she passes on the crown.

PHOTO: Marc Membrere