Magnolia Maymuru Makes Miss World History As First Aboriginal Entrant From NT

A few years ago Maminydjama Maymuru, who calls herself Magnolia, was just an Aboriginal teenager from the small outback township of Yirrkala. Today she is the first Aboriginal woman to represent the Northern Territory in Miss World Australia.

In fact, Magnolia isn’t just the first Aboriginal woman to represent the Northern Territory, she’s also the first traditional Indigenous Australian ever to take part in the competition. If she is successful in taking the title at the finals in Melbourne, due to be held next month, she will go on to be Australia’s candidate in the international Miss World pageant, something that appeals to her very much.

‘I want to represent all Australians,’ she told New Idea. ‘Every voice deserves to be heard.’

source: New Idea

The pageant life is a long way from Magnolia’s comfort zone, her hometown and her family. Raised in Yirrkala, a town of 900 people about 600 kilometres from Darwin, Magnolia was discovered by a scout when she was taking money out of an ATM. Initially she passed on an on-the-spot offer to appear on the catwalk at a fashion show, because she was in the middle of competing her final exams. Then a year later the same scout saw her again when shopping at the supermarket, and urged her to reconsider. Magnolia relented, telling ABC News she was ready to “try something different”.

Magnolia appeared at her first fashion show in October of last year in Darwin, noting that she was nervous but happy to give it a go.

“If people don’t accept me just because I’m indigenous or from community, it won’t bother me”¦ I was very, very nervous. I thought: ‘What if I fall over or trip? I’ll be on the news.’ But I threw [those thoughts] away and decided to get through with it.”

source: Magnolia Maymuru Miss World NT FB

But since then Magnolia has made international headlines after being selected to represent the Northern Territory in the Miss World national finals. The agent who spotted her, Mehali Tsangaris, believes there are big things coming in her future.

“I think Magnolia is the girl that could spark a revolution,” he said.

And Magnolia? She’s enjoying her changed life, but misses home and is eager to get back for a weekend spent fishing and camping with her family. But she said she felt driven to make a change, to “break the cycle of how people see life back in [the] community”. Magnolia also noted in an interview with Buzzfeed News that she’s eager to inspire other young Australians, no matter their heritage.

“I want to do this for all the young kids. To instill in them the belief and inspiration that anything is possible if you continue to do it and you work hard,” she said.