Friday, April 18, 2008

SIERRA LEONEANS HOST THE FIRST MS SIERRA LEONE-MINNESOTA BEAUTY PAGEANT


On August 18, 2006, eight young women in the Sierra Leone community in Minnesota appeared on stage to compete for a crown and cash prices. The show which was cancelled from its original date two weeks ago due to what organizers called, “A serious electrical black out,” started two hours and 40 minutes pass its original start time of 7 pm. The host of the show ascribed the lateness due to technical problems.


                                      


                                                                    FA


Though the show started with minor hitches and half empty auditorium, the audience got entertained by young African artists like, FA, Georgee B, Heart of Africa, GAB, African Queen, and Soda Boyz who kept the audience screaming with joy and often standing to dance along with the performances. 


                                     


                                               Cross Section of the Crowd


FA’s fabulous performance of a love ballad caused the girls to scream and rush on stage.  A trio of girls performed an African Dance piece with complicated moves and waist breaking turns much to the delight of the audience.


The Soda Boyz also performed one of their hit rap songs which featured young ladies cat walking while they sang.


                                     


                                        Prancing Beauty from Soda Boyz


The contestants, who ranged from ages 17 to 21, were high school graduates to juniors in college.   The contestants included, Isatu Sesay, Marion Kamara, Khadia Conteh, Fanta Sarjoh, Hawa Kondeh, Emah Kamara, Fanta Kamara, and Mindia Fillie.


The contestants showcased their African, sport, formal and swim suit attires.  The crowd went wild as the girls went in and out on the stage.


                                    


Mr. Christian Chuku Taylor, head of Chuku Entertainment (host of the show), who spoke to Bush Chicken right before the start of the show, said the eight young contestants were some of the best the community could offer. “They were chosen based on their beauty, intelligence, and social standing in the community,” he said.


                                    


                                  Ms. Liberia Minnesota was in attendance


According to Mr. Taylor, the show is the first of its kind in the Sierra Leone community but is expected to go national next year. “Thank you all for being a part of the show, we will take it to another state next year.”


Like many competitions, people in the audience had their own winners in mind but at the end of the show the five Judge panel made the final decision. Hawa Kondeh was crowned Miss Sierra Leone-Minnesota 2006-07 and Mindia Fillie and Khadia Conteh, first and second runner-up.


Some audience members and contestants who spoke to Bush Chicken said they were slightly disappointed by the decision but willing to move on.  It can be recalled that, Sierra Leone another West African nation like Liberia, suffered barbaric civil war over the years that displaced many of its citizen, some of whom presently live in Minnesota.


During the show, an overhead display by one of the contestants, Mindia Fillie during her talent piece showed amputated kids sitting on deserted streets of Freetown brought tears to the eyes of many in the audience.


To view the action, click the video clips at Google videos link below:


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1073593278756477745


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3721630423166900214


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7776811420739530058


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-544723771816663455


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-935148981120148668

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