5/22 - BLACK BEAUTIES´ UNLUCKY HISTORY IN ASIAN COUNTRIES

BANGKOK, May 22 - Black is beautiful, but for some unknown reason, black candidates have barely faired well whenever the Miss Universe contest took place in an Asian country. In 1974 Manila, Philippines, was the first Asian host city for the pageant, and the only “non-white” (yet very far from being “black”) finalist (aside from Asians) was Maureen Ava Vieira of Aruba, the eventual 4 th runner-up. In 1976, in Hong Kong, none of the semi-finalists was of African descent. If it counts for something, Miss Trinidad & Tobago won the “Miss Amity” award.

Four years later beauties from all corners of the Universe traveled to Seoul, Korea, when finally a black stunner “stood out” and broke into the semifinals. Of course we are talking about Panama´s Gloria Karamañites Davis. She didn´t advance to the finals. Back to the Far East in 1987, this time in Singapore, Carmelita Louise Ariza of Turks & Caicos was a semifinalist as well, and remains the only woman from her country to have placed in Miss U. Just like Gloria, she was not a top 5 finalist.

After that, no one else succeeded.

In 1988, in Taiwan, Asian beauties dominated the competition, and even pre-pageant favorite Cheryl Ann Gordon of Trinidad & Tobago, was left “in the ice”. Bangkok, Thailand, hosted Miss Universe 1992, and although Cathy-Mae Sitaram of the U.S. Virgin Islands was close to achieve it (12th place when only the 10 top preliminary scorers advanced to the semifinals), again, black beauties were ignored. The same happened when the pageant returned to Manila, in 1994. Miss Namibia, Christalene Barbara Kahatjipara, was close to becoming a semifinalists, but the only thing she actually took home was the “Miss Congeniality” sash.

All in all, Miss Universe took place in countries of the Far East seven times. 76 women were named semifinalists, and other 36 were called among finalists. Two of these semifinalists were blacks (about 2,6%), while none of the finalists were women of color (unless you are too optimistic to include Miss Aruba here).

What will happen in Bangkok 2005? Will history repeat itself, or will it change dramatically? If it depends on beauty, will power and preparation, some women are ready to leave their mark in this year´s pageant. Shermain Jeremy, Miss Antigua & Barbuda and a former Miss World semifinalist, has been a front runner since the very beginning. Misses Curaçao, Ethiopia, Zambia and Trinidad & Tobago are also among favorites, while Miss Barbados is ready to pull a surprise, some believe.

Racism or coincidence? Either way, African descendant beauties have not been lucky in Asia, and we will find out if a “twist of fate” awaits them on May 30, when semifinalists, finalists and the new Miss Universe will finally be known. Whatever happens, we can only hope that justice prevails.

Text: Henrique Fontes.
Photos: Miss Panama, a "lonely black star" in Miss Universe 1980 courtesy of Donald West); Misses Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados and Curaçao attempt to change history in 2005.