Tiana Hodge has experienced and overcome a lot in her 77 years – and next on her bucket list is taking the stage as the oldest contestant to ever take part in the Miss Rotorua Beauty Pageant.
Talking to the Weekly ahead of the September 16 event, Tiana confides the glamorous world of pageantry is out of her comfort zone, but she’s embracing the challenge with a down-to-earth Kiwi attitude and a desire to inspire others.
“Normally, I wear sneakers, a track suit, a hoodie and a puffer jacket,” says Tiana, who is one of 21 contestants – the youngest being 15 – vying for the crown this year. “I don’t wear make-up, I’m not fashionable, but I am doing it to step out and change my look.”
Tiana shares she was inspired to take part by former councillor and fellow septuagenarian Merepeka Raukawa-Tait, who at 73 was last year awarded the Miss Te Arawa sash.
For Tiana, Merepeka’s involvement was an aspirational and fierce statement that beauty has no age limit, and you are never too old to try something new.
Tiana with her number-one supporter Martyn.
She’s hoping her presence will have a similar impact on other wāhine.
“I’d like to inspire other women who are restricting themselves to go for it and make changes in their lives if they feel stuck,” says Tiana, who spent most of her life battling with the impacts of an alopecia diagnosis in her early twenties.
“I know that if I can do it, anyone can. I was ashamed and devastated. At one stage, I didn’t have any hair and now I have patches of hair. The shame has only recently left me and now I can talk about it.”
For 50 years Tiana covered her hair with a scarf, but is excited to have a new wig for the pageant.
“Seeing how good the wig looks has been a turning point,” she smiles.
It’s been one of many unexpected benefits to come out of The Miss Rotorua Foundation, which is internationally recognised for embracing diversity and beauty across all cultures and ages. Since 2017, the pageant has worked with women with disabilities, solo mothers, grandmothers, sexual assault survivors, substance users and whānau living in poverty.
It’s the brain child of pageant director and fashion designer Kharl WiRepa, who is passionate about redefining conventional beauty standards.
“Currently, we have social media and American beauty standards dominating the globe, affecting self-esteem of men and women across the world,” says Kharl. “As a Māori-led organisation, it’s important for us to celebrate beauty in all aspects, including the measure of mana, wisdom and spirituality.”
Tiana adds, “One of the best things about the pageant is learning about this new world, and seeing the young ones stepping out and becoming more confident. That is happening to me too.”
While she’s feeling more self-assured than ever before, Tiana confides she is still working on overcoming the fear of stepping on stage.
“I’ve never done anything like this before and part of my decision was to come out of hiding,” she shares. “I think I have had anxiety all my life, but I didn’t know until recently.
“This is really stretching me. I’ve been learning to push through anxiety, and I have been working on breathing and talking to myself.”
Her number-one supporter is her partner of six years, Welsh artist Martyn Evans, who has called New Zealand home for the past 50 years.
“Having someone who believes in you is amazing,” says Tiana, who was born in Auckland and moved to Rotorua in 2010. “We have honesty and trust, and that is huge on my list.”
Tiana found working with horses healing.
Over the years, Tiana’s worked as a radiographer both here and abroad, but always felt lost until moving to Rotorua, where aged 64, she started working with horses through Riding for the Disabled, now called EquiSucceed. She retired several years ago, but still serves on the board and can’t imagine living anywhere else.
“Connection is so important to me and I have found that in Rotorua. I have so many cousins, I can’t keep track of them all.
“I was never in touch with my roots, and my mother and grandmother weren’t either, but connecting with my Hodge whānau and Ngāti Whakaue (her iwi from Te Arawa) and learning te reo Māori has helped ground me.”
After a lifetime of being introverted, Tiana is just one week away from conquering her personal Everest, as she describes the pageant, and her advice to others is clear. “Don’t wait 50 years to follow in my footsteps!” she enthuses.
