That there exists one type of beauty is itself false. That it can be judged by a few events and a couple of hours is also a fallacy. Our people should not be buying into these fallacies, there are enough historical mistruths, that we shouldn t perpetuate another. Much of what I see in my culture is not something I would hope to see emulated. I worry about institutions like beauty pageants relaying a disturbing message, but I am more concerned when marginalized peoples find these shallow venues to be the means of acceptance.
Nothing is wrong with celebrating beauty.
What I find of concern here is the standardisation of beauty, usually formulated by Western fashion and desire. As well, what is so culturally gratifying about young women parading their bodies, and not their talents, in competition with one another. It is difficult to find something to celebrate here. It is a difficult situation. On the one hand, you want to draw attention to the successes of young aboriginal women as well as the fact that they are existing, beautifully, in a dominant culture that has for centuries called A boriginals unattractive.