THE beautiful and talented 21-year-old Miracle Hilliman, a second year Communications Student at the University of Guyana, beat six other contestants to become the reigning Miss Emancipation Queen last Sunday at the National Cultural Centre.

The runners-up were as follows: first runner-up Joelly Valentine, second runner-up Franale Holder and third runner-up Jennel Lovell.
The pageant which took place at the National Cultural Centre showcased the talent and strength of Afro-Guyanese women. Various segments featured evening wear, business wear, and talent. Those who competed were Franale Holder, Jennel Lovell, Shevona Jerrick, Sunaika Adolphus, Miracle Hilliman, Joelly Valentine and Makida Blake. Unfortunately Shanice Bourne dropped out of the pageant because of important family matters.
The pageant opened with a libation ceremony, with Pageant Public Representation Officer, Shabakie Fernandes doing the oral recitation and Brother Guyan pouring the libation. The night’s activities then officially began, with the contestants dressed in their everyday garments depicting a village, and each doing some sort of labour, such as cooking, washing, chopping wood, or carpentry.
The King’s Messenger, played by Master of Ceremonies, Mondale Smith, made his way through the village to the centre stage, and the dancers came to an abrupt stop waiting for his announcement. He proclaimed that the King was looking for his Queen, who should not be younger than 17 or older than 27; must be attractive, versatile in the language, talented in some form, and be intelligent.
The Royal Highnesses Senior Counsel -“House of Senae” (The Emancipation Committee) — had put together the finest Elders (Judges). The panel of Elders included Administrator of the African Heritage Museum, Ms Jennifer Daly; Founding member of the African Cultural and Development Association (ACDA), Mr. C. Maxie Fox; Language Lecturer Charlene Wilkinson; Chief Judge, Public Service Minister Dr. Jennifer Westford; and Chief Accountant, Attorney- at-Law, Michael Burnette.
The delegates came on for the introductory segment dressed in garments of various colours made from Kente cloth, and they spoke about a strong woman of African descent. The delegates chose Dr. Enid Denbow (Jenell Lovell), Viola Burnham (Makida Blake), Beverly Drakes (Franale Holder), Simona Broomes (Shevona Jerrick), Wendy Aaron (Joelly Valentine), Lynette Dolphin (Sunaika Adolphus) and Desiree Bernard (Miracle Hiliman).
For their talent segments, Queen Hilliman performed the poem “I am an African Woman”; First Runner-up Joelly Valentine performed “Revelations of an African Daughter”; Second Runner-up Franale Holder sang a song done in San and Togo — African slave languages; Third Runner-up Jennel Lovell performed “Africa, my Africa”;
and the other pieces included Sunaika Aldolphus’s rendition of Thula-Sizwe (I shall be released), a Zula and English song by Miriam Makeba and Nina Simone. Shevon Jerick performed Iwoyo, a song by Angelique Kibjo, in a dialect from Benin. Makida Blake danced to the drums.
The girls’ evening wear was complemented by African lace, and the reigning Mr. African Roots King escorted them to the stage. It was after this challenge that the young ladies had to answer a question which led to the final four being selected. But the night was not over, as one would expect that a queen needed to be found, so the ladies faced their final question, and it was a tough one: “The United Nations has declared 2013-2023 the decade for people of African Descent, what is your ten-year vision for your people?”
Stemming from last year’s pageant was the girls’ group Guyanese Girls Unite, which aims to promote empowerment of young girls. In keeping with her reign, on the International Day of the Girl Child, reigning Queen Ms. Jillicia Pinder visited the East Ruimveldt Secondary School to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and to participate at the World Youth Day event with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, among many other events.
This year, the pageant again promoted STEM, and will be sending 12 girls from Mali (where education is not free) to school through the Guyanese Girls Unite project, which will give the Mali girls the much-needed facilities to explore their senses and skills; and, most importantly, get an education that lets them know that not even the sky is the limit.