If you've been watching the news anytime since August 15th, you'll know that Belizeans love pageants: organizing them, watching them, and festing on the spectacle of it all. In just the last month we've featured contestants for Miss Belize, Miss Costa Maya, Miss Junesville, and even Miss Big and Beautiful. But to go way back, Belize's love affair with pageants started in 1946 when the first queen of the bay was chosen. That's 61 years of pageant history and now most of it can be relived through a new exhibition opened today at the House of Culture. Froyla Tzalam is the director.
Froyla Tzalam, House of Culture
“We had the official opening of the exhibition which is highlighting the history of pageants in Belize. As you know there is a beauty queen for every type of activity you can think of. Just last weekend we had one called Miss Big and Beautiful. And what we are trying to do at ISCR was to look at what that says about us as Belizeans.
We look pageantry. We love the fact that we can queens; wear our tiaras, do our sashes, and I think that is very much in line with the whole royalty aspect.
What I am doing is simply highlighting what that says about us. And one of the things that came out very strongly was how we defined beauty; what makes a woman a queen. Is it intelligence or is other aspects like talent for example.”
And speaking of pageants, the grandmama of them all, the Queen of the Bay will be chosen on Saturday night. You'll get to meet the nine contestants tomorrow.
