It is 15-minutes until show time, and backstage the Miss Sahara contestants are in a mild panic. The national costumes - in particular, the jawdropping jewellery - are creating some last-minute hitches. Volunteers scramble to get the adornments in their correct positions, stacking layers of necklaces, rings and bracelets on the anxious pageant participants, snaking them around arms, legs, necks, hands and heads. The dressing room is an epic explosion of colour, prints, textures and beading.
For Nyaradzo (Nyara) Wekwete, who at 28 is the pageant's oldest contestant, it's a final chance to secure her bright-blue traditional isicholo hat before opting to escape the mayhem. "I'm going to go and listen to my music before I have a panic attack," she says, slipping out of the dressing area, adjusting earpods as she leaves.
With nerves taut and the clock ticking, it's time for some final words of encouragement from Miss Sahara founder Anyier Yuol, who appears in front of the throng in a sequinned showstopper frock, gathering the eight finalists into a huddle.
"I am so proud of you all," she says. "You have all worked so hard to get to this stage. But now is the chance to showcase how beautiful each and every one of you is. Tonight is about showing everyone the essence and beauty of the African queen."
The girls whoop in delight and head offstage to begin the proceedings that will culminate in the crowning of Miss Sahara 2023. The pageant is a celebration of Australian African women and kicks off with an elaborate national costume section, then a (non-judged) swimwear category and the evening gown finale. Throughout the journey the participants have been adorned with sashes and given lessons in deportment, styling and make-up. So far, so Miss Congeniality.
But while the event has all the hallmarks of a traditional beauty pageant (minus the mentions of world peace), Miss Sahara is so much more.
Denne historien er fra August 2023-utgaven av Marie Claire Australia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August 2023-utgaven av Marie Claire Australia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
SHANNEN DOHERTY
The rebellious actor died in July after a nine-year battle with cancer. Zara Wong looks back at the legacy of a woman who always lived on her own terms
IN THE WILDS OF ALASKA
Nature served up a spectacular array of delights, while cruising the majestic waters of the far north.
Back to EARTH
In its earliest days, the farm bred draught horses for export. Now Tasmania's 1840 cottage Leighton House has been restored as a glorious getaway
ODE to LIGHT
Created by master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian in 2011, Elie Saab's Le Parfum has since gained a cult following and become an industry icon. Here, Sally Hunwick uncovers the origins of the stunning chypre floral scent
JEN ATKIN
The Ouai beauty guru is regularly called on by the Kardashians and a host of other A-listers. Here, she talks about hair, her beauty cupboard and how she keeps up her energy levels
A NEW DIRECTION
When she was 16, Jordan Lambropoulos told her surgeon she'd rather die than wake up with a colostomy bag. Today - 10 years, countless operations and 14,000 Instagram followers later - she's proof that a colostomy bag is not the end. In fact, it can be the beginning of a whole new life
LADY LUCK
Rosalía takes her accessories as seriously as she takes her art. The Spanish musician spent three years working on her much-lauded album Motomami, finessing the details and perfecting the finishing touches. And when it comes to her outfits, she's no less specific
Wait... superhero movies are cool now?
Who had Emma Corrin and Juno Temple as supervillians on their 2024 bingo card?
CURTAIN CALLING
Brisbane-born star Vidya Makan steps into the shoes of America's founding mother in the long-awaited return of Hamilton
LEIGH-ANNE
The English singer on colourism, freedom and reuniting Little Mix
