Last night, the Samoan Fale at the Kitano Tusitala Hotel was packed for the 4th annual Miss Tutti Frutti Pagent. By the time Jen and I arrived around 6:45, there were more cars in front of the Kitano than I have ever seen in one place in Samoa. There was a line out the door. I haven't waited in a line for almost anything in the last 10 months, so it was really odd.

Inside the hotel, there were so many sweaty people, you had to walk to sideways to get through the crowd and even then it was difficult. Jen and I and slithered through the left side to the back and found a place at the bar with a great view of the stage, but it turned out to be a huge mistake.

We had people contantly moving back and forth in front of us. We had three obnoxious and obviously drunk guys standing next to us, yelling obscentiies at the contestants and then Jen accidentally knocked over one of their drinks and it spilled down my back.

So what was the big deal? Well, let me tell you. This contest, run by the Samoa Fa'afafine Society, is sort of a send up of the extremely serious Miss Samoa contest that takes place at the end of the Teuila Festival.

So what's a fa'afafine, you ask? Well, let me tell you. I think you can understand it best by breaking down the word into two parts. The second half, fafine, means "woman". The prefix, or fa'a, means either "way of" or "like". With the additional knowledge that fa'afafines are men, you should have a good idea of what's going on here. If not, I'll spell it out for you.

These folks are transvestites.

But transvestites in Samoa are different than any place I've ever been. They are accepted into Samoan culture and society without question. They work in the government. They are some of the most popular teachers in secondary schools around the country. And they are highly valued in most Samoan families for their ability to perform equally the roles of men and women.

There are a few similarities between fa'afafines and transvestites in the rest of the world, not the least of which is a flair for the flamboyant and the ability to put on an incredible floor show.

13 contestants lined up to vie for the title of Miss Tutti Frutti 2003. The pagent was divided into several categories including undergarments, dressing like fruit, talent, which was mostly lip synching (as if dressing like fruit isn't talent enough), evening wear and the interview, where contestants asked questions of each other and the audience howled with the increasigly crude question.

Jen and I ended up watching from the back, standing on top of a massive upturned plastic flower pot. We could see. but it was a struggle and after a few hours I was ready to leave, but we stuck it out to the end to see "Miss A&M Consulting" crowned Miss Tutti Frutti.
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The proceeds of the Miss Tutti Fritti contest are used to help the elders staying at the Mapuifagalele rest home and raise HIV/AIDS awareness.

Fa'afafine promote HIV/AIDS awareness
By Mathew Lemisio
15 August 2003

The Samoa Fa'afafine Society is promoting HIV/AIDS awareness through its fourth Miss Tutti Frutti Pageant.

This is at the Hotel Kitano Tusitala during the Teuila Festival in the first week of next month.

Society president Ken Moala said the pageant was set up four years ago with the main purpose to help the elders staying at the Mapuifagalele rest home.

"That is still the purpose of the Miss Tutti Frutti," Mr Moala told the Samoa Observer yesterday. "But the theme for this year's pageant though will be mainly a focus on HIV/AIDS awareness."

Early this year, Samoa Fa'afafine Society hosted a workshop on the same issue.

"So the pageant is part of that ongoing programme of ours where we focus on HIV/AIDS awareness."

Mr Moala said since HIV/AIDS is still without a cure, the Samoan public should be well aware of its danger.

"Us as fa'afafine, we feel that we should play a part in making our people aware of HIV/AIDS," he said.

On the pageant itself, which will be held on the eve of the Miss Samoa Pageant Mr Moala said the show is strictly for those over the age of 16.

NO YOUNG KIDS
"We don't want any young kids because there will be mature content in some part of the show," he said adding that they did not want to offend anyone.

"But I can assure members of the public that the show will be a lot of fun," he said. Mr Moala said the show would be delivered in three categories.

The first one will be the undergarments category, followed by the showgirls category and the talent category, which is perhaps the most exciting part of the show, as it was in the past four years. There will also be a question and answer category and a fruit wear category according to Mr Moala.

Miss Maryjane Dawson was last year's crowned Miss Tutti Frutti. This year 13 contestants are lining up for the crown.

Admission costs $10 per person and, according to Mr Moala, there are no reservations.

"It's going to be a first come, first serve basis," he said.

Tickets will be sold at the door on the night.