Miss Marianas Universe
Encyclopedia
Miss Marianas Universe is the national pageant of the Northern Marianas
that sends representatives to the Miss Universe
and Miss International
pageants. It is organized by the non-profit beauty and talent group Stellar Marianas.
The current Miss Marianas Universe is Sorene Maratita of Kagman, Saipan
, who won the title at the Palms Resort Saipan on November 29, 2008. The first runner-up was Winona Chance Camacho who is also from Saipan. Sorene also took home the Miss Photogenic and Best in Native Costume award. Due to a lack of funding and sponsorship, she was unable to compete at Miss Universe 2009 in the Bahamas. However, Sorene competed at Miss International. She was handed the title by MMU 2005 Shequita DLG. Bennett-Sanchez because of the three-year absence of a titleholder, respectively.
NOTES:
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
that sends representatives to the Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
and Miss International
Miss International
Miss International is an annual international beauty pageant held since 1960.The current Miss International is Fernanda Cornejo, from Ecuador...
pageants. It is organized by the non-profit beauty and talent group Stellar Marianas.
The current Miss Marianas Universe is Sorene Maratita of Kagman, Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
, who won the title at the Palms Resort Saipan on November 29, 2008. The first runner-up was Winona Chance Camacho who is also from Saipan. Sorene also took home the Miss Photogenic and Best in Native Costume award. Due to a lack of funding and sponsorship, she was unable to compete at Miss Universe 2009 in the Bahamas. However, Sorene competed at Miss International. She was handed the title by MMU 2005 Shequita DLG. Bennett-Sanchez because of the three-year absence of a titleholder, respectively.
Winners
Year | Contestant | Village Represented | Placement |
---|---|---|---|
1976 | Candelaria Flores Borja | As Teo | |
1977 | Margarita Benavente Camacho | San Vicente | |
1978 | Julia Salas Concepcion | Chalan Kanoa Dist.#1 | |
1979 | Barbara Torres | Chalan Kanoa Dist #3 | |
1980 | Angelina Camacho Chong | Garapan | |
1981 | Juanita Masga Mendiola | Tinian | Did not compete |
1982 | Sheryl Sonoda Sizemore | Chalan Kanoa Dist #1 | |
1983 | Thelma Mafnas | Sadog Tasi | |
1984 | Porsche Salas | Chalan Kanoa Dist#4 | |
1985 | Antoinette Marie Flores | Susupe | |
1986 | Christine Guerrero | Capitol Hill | |
1987 | Luciana Seman Ada | Fina Sisu | |
1988 | Ruby Jean Hamilton | Gualo Rai | |
1989 | Teresa Wamar | San Antonio | Did not compete |
1990 | Edwina Taitano Menzies | Tinian | |
1991 | Sharon Rosario | Chalan Lau Lau | |
1992 | Imelda Antonio | Puerto Rico | |
1993 | Victoria Taisakan Tudela | San Jose | |
1994 | Elizabeth Tomokane | Gualo Rai | |
1995 | Karah Kirschenheiter | Capitol Hill | |
1996 | Kathleen Williams | Garapan | won all categories but won miss intl. |
1997 | Melanie Sibetang | Oleai | |
1998 | Helene Yun Lizama | Dan Dan | |
1999 | Cherlyn Cabrera | Chalan Kanoa Dist#1 | |
2001 | Janet Han King | Tinian | |
2002 | Virginia Ann Gridley | Chalan Kanoa | |
2003 | Kimberly Castro Reyes | Gualo Rai | Did not compete |
2004 | Tracy Lynn Del Rosario | Koblerville | Did not compete |
2006 | Shequita Deleon Guerrero Bennett | Kagman | |
2009 | Sorene Aldan Maratita | Kagman | Did not compete |
NOTES:
- In 1981, the newly crowned queen, Juanita Masga Mendiola relinquished her title to further education. Her successor is unknown as of this time.
- In 1989, newly crowned queen Soreen Villanueva was dethroned for reasons undisclosed, and eventually was succeeded by Teresa Wamar who competed at the Miss International Pageant.
- For the competing years 2000, 2005, 2007 and 2008 no pageant was held.
- In 2003, Kimberly Castro Reyes was crowned Miss Marianas Universe of that year. Eventually however, she was unable to compete at the national competition in Panama City, Panama that year due to a miscommunication between the pageant's then-organization The Northern Marianas Beauty Pageant Association (NMBPA) and Miss Universe. Outrage and protest had resulted from this by the community and the winning contestant's family and friends. Instead, she was eventually sent to compete at Miss World 2003Miss World 2003Miss World 2003, the 53rd Miss World pageant was held at Crown of Beauty Theatre, Sanya, People's Republic of China on 6 December 2003. The pageant was presented by Phil Keoghan, Amanda Byram and Angela Chow. The contestants also visited Beijing, the national capital of People's Republic of China,...
in SanyaSanyaSanya is the southernmost city in China and is a part of Hainan Province. In 2006, it had a population of 536,000, making it, after the provincial capital , the second most populous city on the island. The city is renowned for its tropical climate and has emerged as a popular tourist destination,...
, the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. - In 2004, Tracy Del Rosario was crowned Miss Marianas World for that year. It was the only time since the U.S. territory's pageant participation, that a winner of the pageant would be crowned a different title other than Miss Marianas Universe. The year before, crowned Miss Marianas Universe-winner Reyes had been expected to compete at its national pageant but was instead sent to Miss World. This was the last year the NMBPA held the pageant license for its competing territory. They disbanded quickly after the year's pageant.
- Since 2005, a new non-profit pageant and talent organization Stellar Marianas currently directs and holds the license to the Miss Marianas Universe.
- Sorene Maratita, Miss Marianas Universe 2009, did not compete in Miss Universe 2009 due to lack of sponsorship and funding. She will only compete in Miss International.