Brings culture and grace to the international stage

GUYANA’S Arian Dahlia Richmond is taking the Golden Arrowhead to the Cayman Islands and beyond. Currently competing alongside 19 other contestants, Arian says the experience has been amazing so far, experiencing people, places and cultures while showing the world a bit about what it means to be Guyanese. As she moves forward to Coronation Night this evening (October 13), Arian is happy to be representing her country.

A cultural exchange
Talking to the Pepperpot Magazine from Hotel Indigo in the Cayman Islands, Arian says the experience has been phenomenal. “It’s my first time in the Cayman Islands, and it’s my first in-person international pageant. Why I say in-person is because I did an international pageant where Peru won, but it was virtual during the COVID-19 [Pandemic], so it was my first experience,” she stated.

She has won hearts overseas as well, garnering attention with her beauty, intellect and glowing personality. “Upon arriving here, people respect and love pageantry so much. It’s as if you’re a celebrity,” she said. “This has been such a great experience where your crown is honoured; your sash and country are honoured. It’s amazing.”

Arian continues to make an impact as she and her fellow competitors reached out to younger women and girls. “We spoke with girls from the RISE programme, which is a youth development programme in the high school, and … I almost cried because the young ladies are about 14-15. We had to impart on them one thing we wanted them to know. And my word of advice to them was to just go for it,” she said.

Beyond the glamour
However, the competitors also tackled harsher topics, with Arian highlighting issues facing women and young girls in the Caribbean. “There’s about two in five cases of sexual violence in the Caribbean, and it can lead to a mass case of depression among young women and hyper-sexualising of children. With therapy and support from the community, we can re-integrate those children back into society, and they can do so much more than just be victims,” she said.

The experience has also been an intriguing exchange of cultures, with Arian making an extra effort to teach others what it means to be Guyanese while taking in new traditions and customs along the way. “The Guyanese community here has been so amazing. They always come, they hug me, they take pictures with me,” she said. “I didn’t realise Jamaica and Guyana have so much in common. Miss Jamaica [my roommate] has been so sweet and supportive. I have found a friend forever.”

Arian has been much more than showing off her flag; she has made Guyana the focal point of every aspect of the competition. Her most recent homage to Guyana was her talent night act last Thursday evening (October 10), which saw her highlight a Guyanese legend, Eddie Grant. As the big night approaches, contestants are getting ready to showcase their culture in all its authenticity and vibrancy. “We’re going to be doing our opening number, our final question, and the top three from the talent will redo their talent,” she said.

Arian’s national costume, which is an integral part of Sunday’s event, was designed by Roberto Teekah and Quinton Pearson. A massive and bold piece, Arian says she hopes it will reflect the beauty of Guyana. Amidst the excitement of it all, however, Arian says there are some challenges. Although she has been one of Guyana’s most recent queens to have garnered support, she says it’s not as easy as it seems. “This is not a game. This is taxing on your mental and physical. My feet are swollen on a daily basis. My toes are blistered. I could be hungry and I’m still out there smiling. I could be thirsty. I could just finish crying. But when I lift that crown on my head, nobody knows,” she said.

Arian’s love for her country and the identity it has shaped is why she continues to compete and represent her nation. Moving forward, as more of Guyana’s queens reach international levels, she hopes to see more support rallied behind them. “I think that we should never have another queen not have support,” she said.

Pageantry is more than smiles, costumes and waves. Our Queens, like Arian, are international ambassadors, pushing the essence of Guyana to the world. “I need people to rally behind our national ambassadors more. You never know when you send a queen out who they will meet and what they can bring back,” she said. Guyanese everywhere can get virtual tickets to witness the event online at missglobalinternational.com and eventproxy.com.