EP 89. Miss Tausala America: Empowering Tama’ita’i Samoa in the US.

In this episode, we're joined by Gwendolyn Tuaitanu, the founder of the Nafanua Foundation and Miss Tausala America. Gwendolyn shares her journey from humble beginnings in Salt Lake City, Utah, to becoming a passionate advocate for empowering Samoan women. She discusses the foundation's mission to empower women and the inspiration behind its name, derived from Nafanua, the Samoan goddess of love and war. Exploring the unique aspects of the Miss Tausala America pageant, Gwendolyn highlights its focus on fostering sisterhood and empowering young Samoan women aged 18 to 26. Throughout the conversation, she shares personal anecdotes and insights, inviting participation from Samoan women across the United States. As the episode wraps up, Gwendolyn expresses gratitude for community support and her dedication to providing opportunities for young Samoan women to thrive.

Behind the Lavalava Foundation Sponsors:
Matai, American United Federal Credit Union, Pasifika Foods, Veteran Business Resource Center, Frontline Heroes, Warrior Revival, Top Gun Home Inspection, Natin But Grindz, Ladies in Bloom, All Pro Concrete Cutters, Eni & Hina Faleomavaega Foundation, Humana, Toko Uso Protection, Paradise Porch, Cyprus Credit Union.

988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

Transcript

 Welcome back to another episode of Behind the Lava Lava, the podcast that takes you behind the scenes of the vibrant people and cultures of the Pacific Islands. I'm your host and joining me today is Milford Tiafala. Before we get started, a quick reminder to our listeners to follow, subscribe, and leave a review if you enjoy the show.

Now let's jump straight into it. Today, we will be talking with Gwendolyn Tuaitanu, former 2008 and Miss Samoa USA. We will be discussing the recently announced Miss Tausala  America pageant. So Ta'alofa Gwen. Ta'alofa Lava. Thank you for having me.  Now Gwen, before we go straight into the Miss Tausala America, I want to just bring up your Nafanua Foundation.

Why the name Nafanua and what is the foundation about? Great question. So we, when we were trying to figure out our non profit, We wanted to center around  women and strengthening, strengthening and embracing them, their womanhood. And so we We felt, you know, Nafanua, of course, the goddess of love and war, was appropriate.

And not to mention, you know, it was around the time that Moe Moana was also running, and so when Awha'alu had designed her dress and You know, he was inspired by Nā Whānua, just a lot of things kind of ring to,  to that direction. And then, and that's kind of how it fell. And since then, you know, we've been, we've been going strong, you know, our, the Nā Whānua Foundation really is about empowering women, about just about  them realizing the potential that they have.

The power that they have within them, the beauts, not just beauty, but, you know, just intelligence and everything about being a Tama'i Ta'i Samoa, not even, I'm not, I'm not a Tama'i Ta'i Samoa, but you know, just a Samoan woman. And so that's, that's pretty much what Nafa Nua Foundation is, is we're focusing on the Tama'i Ta'i Samoa and helping them realize and recognize their potential and, um, and.

Finding or creating programs so that way they can elevate  their, their womanhood. No, thank you. That's amazing. Now, could you introduce yourself? Tell us about your humble beginnings, where you're from. Sure. So I was born in Hawaii, in Kahuku. And my parents later migrated to Salt Lake. So I was raised in Salt Lake City, Utah for majority of my life. 

Um, my father, he  had a painting business. So we pretty much were raised off of his business, off of his hard work. And,  and, And after that I,  I went to college and then I served a ladder, a mission. I am from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. I served a mission. I came back. I wanted to finish my schooling at the U of U.

And then I was approached by some people from flag week with this opportunity to, to gain more scholarship, to gain money. And in order to do that, they said, you have to run for the Miss Samoa USA. And I said, Oh, okay. Well, you know, I would just finish my mission. So I was really, you know, I guess, confident with speaking to other people.

And so I didn't mind, in my mind, I was thinking, you know, anything to just, to just meet other people. And so I ran for the Miss and luckily I, I won and then part of the contract was we had to fly to Samoa to compete there. And I,  my parents will, while growing up, they really, Instilled in us arts, you know, music was very strong in our household.

So we would always sing and we learned to play the piano and I played the violin. And so it was very, very strong in our home. And so. When I found out that I was running the Miss, I went to my voice teacher, you know, got trained. She helped me with the song and then we went to Samoa and, and then I competed and, and then I, I lucked out again and I won the Miss Samoa competition and as part of that we had to stay in Samoa and,  and it was such a wonderful experience.

I also was able to run for the what was then is a Miss South Pacific and now is a Miss Pacific Islands, where I became first runner up. And that was also an amazing experience where I was able to meet beautiful women from other islands. And so, yeah, that's pretty much how I was raised. It was really, it really was humble beginnings.

You know, we're just the normal family. You know,  my parents working hard from nine to five, I would have to stay home, watch my siblings and You know, sometimes my dad would pick us up in his paint van and we'd just be so mobbed because it was all these noises making, you know, when he's coming to pick us up from high school.

And, you know, it really was humble beginnings, but I'm super grateful for my background because it really allowed me to be grateful for the blessings that I have and what I was raised with and, and made me pretty much the person that I am and, and the passion that I have. And I'm, the passion that I have right now with helping a woman,  it, it, it was instilled in me from the start, so.

And what brought you to Utah? Good question. I asked my parents that too. I wish we stayed in Hawaii, but I think my dad said it was, it was better future. It was really expensive in Hawaii to live back then. And they somehow migrated because he had a good job opportunity. And,  and we stayed. Currently, what, what, what are you doing right now?

So currently, he still runs the, the painting business. He actually expanded a little bit more, so I do his accounting and admin for that full time. I also am a flight attendant for United, and then I also volunteer at my kid's school. And then we just, you know, we started the NAFANUA foundation. So I'm the director founder of that and we are creating programs and the Miss Hausala America is, is the biggest one we're running right now.

So T, you have any personal questions before we proceed?

Personal? No,  so it's time. Moves on, you know, things evolve for the better, I guess, for the most part, but within, you know, these celebrated evolutions, a lot of things get lost over that time as well. So as much as we gain, we lose a lot to our, maybe those losses are small. It all depends on how you look at it.

So when he, for nowadays, you know, you speak on celebrating womanhood What is it, or what are some of the most important things are that you want  the young ladies to,  to grasp and really recognize, you know, within themselves when it comes to, you know, their, their womanhood, their, their not just their self worth, but also, you know, increasing that.

Self worth and that value and and knowing that and knowing how important their womanhood is

So I feel  well, one of the things that I really helped me out was when I  when I went to Samoa I I  mean, I knew I was Samoan and I I loved my heritage, but I didn't really know and understand really, you know, the, um, just the beauty of, of our Samoan culture. And it really enhanced the way I felt about myself. 

And,  and elevated  my way of thinking as far as being a, uh,  a Samoan woman. I, I felt like, you know, I could pretty much do a lot of things because I was just so proud of who I was. And I guess that's in a sense what I really want, what we really want for these young women who are in the U. S. To feel and experience, to know that, you know, If they really truly understand their heritage and where they come from and you know, not only that, but I'm pretty sure everyone has a background of what they're, Parents and grandparents went through, you know, it really brings a deeper meaning to, to who they are.

And I really do believe that if they really know and feel who they are, that it really, it takes them to a different level. It motivates them and inspires them to do and be more than what they think they are. And, and that's, that's pretty much what we're, we're trying to do. To aim for is to try and help, you know, all these women realize that.

Yeah. Thank you for sharing Gwen. Now let's talk about the Miss TauSala America. Why, why the word TauSala in a Miss pageant? So TauSala is this. There's a lot of meanings to Tausala to me. Tausala not only is, you know, the princess or the main person in, in a family, in a tribe, you know, the chief's daughter, but she also is the protector, the guardian of, of her family, you know, of, of everyone around her.

She's just, you know, the woman that. that takes care of everyone and also portrays herself in a very beautiful and loving and caring way. So that's why we chose Tau Sala because it all envelops just what a true Tamaita Isamoa should be. And then, you know, every young woman is, you know, is a Tau Sala in their own right. 

We just want to elevate it and remind everyone, you know, kind of from where our roots, where that's how Sala is in each of them. And for this pageant, what makes it unique from the other Pacifica pageants that are here within the U. S. specifically? Good question. So, I mean, I won the Miss Samoa USA and it was, it was the best experience I, I've ever had in my life.

I I can't thank the founders before, you know, Roland Itafi and also Junior Patane and Lavinia and just the whole community that, that, that did that pageant, it, it changed my life forever. I am, I really wanted to grow something that would be long lasting. So the Miss Samwayuse, it stopped for a couple of years, you know, but I, I really wanted to grow something that was my own, that I knew.

That would fall on me to make sure that it actually lasted, that it was more consistent and  something that I felt was really important from my experience, as far as education, as far as trying to make sure that, you know, something that I had struggled with was the nganasamoa, that's something else that I really wanted to put out there in the, in the U S and, and just a lot of different programs that I, I, I felt really.

Empowered to create. And so that's kind of the sway in direction. Why I wanted to create something new. That was my own, that I felt really coincides with what the generation right now is, is going through. So that's why I geared towards some, yeah, something my own, the Talsal America. Yeah. Thank you for providing another platform for, for our people.

So who, who are your target contestant, uh, people where you're looking for to, to apply and run in the midst of South America? So we are targeting our young women, um, youth and young adults. So ages 18 through 26. And those ages mostly because those are usually the crucial ages when after they graduate and they're, you know, Trying to figure out their career wise, you know, what they're going to do in life and hopefully this also helps them, you know, again, inspire them and helps them realize, you know, how much of a big potential and that they can actually be on top of the world.

Another reason why is we we want to kind of be parallel with Samoa. You know, this is the same criteria for Samoa so that is also another plan is to take our girl to Samoa and and Later on, you know American Samoan and we were looking into a lot of different things But that's that's usually that's the reason why the age is first off, let me say, I love the connection between the name of your foundation, Nafa Nua, and also the name of the pageant competition, uh, Tau Sala. I believe those are, that's a very great connection between the two names. So could we, could you briefly describe for our viewers who may not be familiar with who Nā Whānau is and why that is important for the name of your foundation.

So Nā Whānau is a group of individuals that came together because they believed in the same, the same mission. They had the same vision as far as trying to make or trying to create programs for our youth and young adults. So that way they actually have a platform to Achieve more. And I felt like that coincided with Tau Sala America because again,  it's goddess of, of love and war, the person that took care of her family and of her village.

And again, same with Tau Sala America. It's, it's someone that we choose here in America to take care of everyone.  Take care of everyone and also just be a real rising star, an example to everyone,  just all of the young women here in, in America and, and even across the other countries, Australia, New Zealand, you know, it's a sisterhood that we're trying to build and, and this is the start of it.

So an interesting fact about Nafa Nua, she is a warrior goddess, but she's also considered a. Uh, Lee in terms,  but see Napa Lua happens to be from our village where our moms come from for the loop.  So  shout out to father loop.  So Gwen what would you say if you have any challenges, are your, some of your biggest challenges so far and trying to start this off?

I feel like with any other,  you know, startup, you're always going to have challenges. And, you know, a lot of people, to be honest, I, I,  I feel like the challenge is more so gaining more knowledge on creating programs that fit so that way we can find the correct funding for it.

But as far as the support, our. Our people have really, you know, been very supportive of, of this goal, this mission that we're trying to do. So  that's pretty much our biggest struggle is, is  creating, well, we've created these programs, I guess it's just more so helping others believe and, and, sponsor it and and fund it.

And so it's just a matter of helping other people see our vision so that we were aligned. So, um, in your role, just starting off this pageant and especially being a director of, uh, of the Napa Nua Foundation, What do you enjoy the most so far in your journey? So it's funny because after I, after I got married, I had kids and, you know, did the family thing, I kind of stayed back and did the, you know, stuck to my bubble and, and just focused on my family and, and, you know, You know, I, I would participate in, in, in different small events here and there, but nothing really big.

And so to be honest, coming back out into the spotlight and, and actually pushing for this, this goal, you know, pushing for what we're trying to do for our kids, that's actually been very, it's very, I don't even have the last four words.  It's mostly contention and satisfaction. Some sort of satisfaction.

Very satisfying, yeah. Very satisfying. I feel like because we're doing this for the right reason, it's easy and it's, it's, it's,  It makes me want to go out and want to do these things and want to put myself out there and, and, and  just be a voice, a voice for everyone else that, that isn't able to speak on their behalf.

Yeah, I can, I can relate to that feeling of being involved in a community ever since we started our podcast a  little over two years ago. I've been deeply involved with the Utah community, especially the business side of things, and  I found,  uh, it's kind of like a sense of belonging, but at the same time, I kind of found my purpose in life in addition to what I'm, I'm doing, so I kind of understand that feeling.

So, when does The pageants, when are you, when are you going to start accepting applications and when is  the pageant is, is there a date for it?  Yes. So we actually are opening our registration tomorrow, which we're really excited about. It's something that we've been working on for a couple of months, for a few months, and now we are ready to open up registration, so it's open for anyone again, ages.

18 to 26. Um, anyone that has Samoan descent. And there's more information also on our, we have a, a Facebook page so you can like and follow that as well. And we do have a pageant. It is during our, our Utah Samoan flag week. We are part of the Dahlofa Samoa. So we are helping them out. And also. We have just a lot of things planned for that week.

And we do plan on having, I believe it's that Saturday, July 20th is when is pageant crowning night.  uh, this is really awesome. And I hope you continue to pursue this and stay with it. Cause I mean, from what you already listed and what you do  sounds very busy,  busy, busy, busy, but I got a harp on the name again. I mean, just.  The Legend of Nafinua and Tausala, those two, the connection with that is, is very, very deep and more impactful than, you know, I hope, and that it's genius, you know, in a marketing sense, you know, once people start to recognize what those two titles, the names mean and what they represent, but  I hope you continue this for years to come.

And I got. Two daughters and maybe if they're not  snacking like I am at midnight all the time and being couch potatoes like their dad, hopefully you'll see them there too. It'll be there.  Now, Gwen, where can people find you and how can they get in touch with you? Yeah. So we, again, we have a Facebook page, which is the Miss South America.

If they wanted to register,  we also have the The website that is under construction right now that should be up within the next week or so. Yeah, it should be up within the next week. And we also, I also wanted to mention,  um, the reason why we also did tell America is because. Um, and I wanted to, I really wanted to put this out there because there are actually pageants that are happening in other states.

There are pageant directors that are just wonderful people. Like I know Henry, Henry is over Miss Saumua, Hawaii, and there's,  who is Miss Samoa Golden Gate. There's also, um, there's, there's quite a few, I believe, Anela Stalin, she does Miss Samoa LA. And there are states that really want this program, but.

haven't really established anything. And so we have people from other states that we've combined our forces to make sure that there is one every year, I think. And that's, that's kind of why we put America to it because we have Glenn.  Lela, who is in Washington, he is our ambassador there. We also have Priscilla faa, who's in Texas, and she's ambassador there.

We have Moana, Manu, and PJ Peterson who is in Missouri. So there's quite a few from different  different states and that's why we. Took the name America because we do have ambassadors there that don't have the Taosala or Amis established, but they do want it to happen. And we do want to have, we, we want it to happen consistently.

So again, we joined forces and that's why. We have the America, but they are there as well as our committee here in Utah. If anyone has any questions, we'll also put their names on our web page and their contact information. So if you're in any of those areas, you're more than welcome to register. We got you and of course, it's open to everyone else.

Um, Who is wanting to participate in this program, we, we feel it's really necessary. I feel bad because a lot of times, even after I ran,  there's so many girls who wanted to run that never had the opportunity. So I'm very motivated to make sure that doesn't happen where no girl, every girl always has an opportunity every year.

And so that is.  That's the goal. And that's how you can get in touch with us is we do have reps and, and our webpage as well. Well, thank you very much, Gwen, for coming onto our platform to share about your organization and this new endeavor that you're about to. To get into and and we really appreciate you sharing your story Do you have any closing remarks or shout outs you want to say?

Uh, just shout out to all the young women who's out there doing their thing behind the closed doors and and you know Really fighting for who they are Shout out to you for for staying strong and being who you are Hopefully we'll provide a program  That is meant just for you to try and get you to where you are and shout out to you.

Thanks so much for both of you and for giving us this opportunity for us to speak and, and get the word out there on what we're trying to do as well.

Thanks again for doing this. A lot of people talk about what's wrong, you know, with the upcoming generations and complain about this and that, but not a lot of people taking action.  And you're doing it and it's not just something temporary, you know, you're laying roots, you're pouring the concrete and you're giving something, you know, you're giving your time, your soul, you know, everything that that you kind of sacrificing from, you know, different aspects of your life that are important.

You, you're pouring it into this to help better the future. So thank you for doing that. And, and it's great to see, you know, not only through your pageant, but just what you're doing right now also provides a example for. More, you know, everybody, not just women to look forward to, or look up to. Thank you.

Now, thank you for tuning into this episode of Behind the Lava Lava. I hope you enjoyed our conversation. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow,  drop a comment and leave us a review. This is Michael Tan and the team signing off. Tofa soy fua.