Mona Gourvil

*This name uses Grelic naming customs. The matronymic is* NiwRiwanon*, while the family name is* Gourvil*.*

**Mona NiwRiwanon Petit** (née **Gourvil**; 2 April 1935 – 2 January 2017) was a Maronan beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Parth 1955. Having also won Miss Marone 1955, Gourvil was the second Maronan woman and first Miss Marone winner to be crowned Miss Parth. She was previously crowned Miss Ditrone 1954 and Miss Jaffrès 1954, making her the second woman from Ditrone to have won Miss Marone.

## Early life and education

Gourvil was born on 2 April 1935 in Saint-Jevy to parents Jikêl Gourvil (1907–1989) and Riwanon Konan (1909–1999). The family was a working-class Ditronian fishing family, with her father working as a fisherman and her mother being a homemaker. Gourvil was the younger of two children; her elder brother was Brandan (1933–2008). She was raised in a Ditronian-speaking family, and did not learn Maronan until beginning school.

Gourvil began her education in 1940, attending public schooling in Saint-Jevy. While in school, Gourvil was reportedly shy and quiet, but also quite well-liked by her peers and intelligent. After completing primary school in 1947, Gourvil completed *collège* as well in 1950. Gourvil subsequently enrolled in a *lycée professionnel* program to study cosmetology, graduating with qualifications to work as a hairdresser in 1952. Gourvil's career decision disappointed her parents and teachers, as they viewed her as having the potential to pursue university studies, and would have been the first in her family to do so. After graduating, Gourvil found work as a hairdresser in her hometown.

## Pageantry

### Miss Marone 1955

Gourvil began her career in pageantry in 1954, after registering to compete in the Miss Jaffrès 1954 beauty pageant. Gourvil was inspired to compete after being recommended by one of her hairdressing clients, who claimed that Gourvil was "the most beautiful woman in the world." The pageant was later held in August 1954, which Gourvil went on to win. Afterwards, she was qualified to compete in Miss Ditrone 1954, held in September 1954. Gourvil went on to win this title as well.

As Miss Ditrone, Gourvil was qualified to compete in Miss Marone 1955. Miss Marone was held in Dilles in December 1954, and Gourvil entered the competition as the heavy favorite to win according to the Maronan media. Gourvil went on to advance into the Top 7, and ultimately was crowned the winner, becoming the second woman from Ditrone to be crowned Miss Marone. During her reign, Gourvil resided in Delmas and worked as a promotional model and brand representative both domestically and internationally for Miss Marone and its sponsors.

### Miss Parth 1955

As Miss Marone, Gourvil competed in Miss Parth 1955 in August 1955, becoming the second Miss Marone titleholder to compete in the pageant. Gourvil went on to advance to the Top 5, before ultimately being crowned the winner, becoming the second Maronan woman to win the title but the first to have been crowned Miss Marone prior to her victory. In the aftermath of her victory, the Maronan media reported that she would have to resign as Miss Marone in order to reign as Miss Parth, but Emeric Gatos denied these reports, instead stating that an agreement between Miss Marone and Miss Parth had been worked out, where Gourvil would frequently travel to Marone in order to partake in a lighter schedule of her Miss Marone duties until the crowning of Miss Marone 1956.

In the aftermath of her victory at Miss Parth in July 1955, and Anaïg Merser's victory at Miss Marone 1956 in December 1955, the Maronan press dubbed 1955 "the Year of the Ditronian Woman" (Maronan: *L'année de la Ditronne*). Their victories also led to an increased interest in Ditronian culture across Marone, with historians alleging that their victories helped contribute to the popularity of Ditronian baby names amongst non-Ditronian Maronans beginning in the mid-20th century, and the notion that Ditrone possessed the most beautiful women of all of the regions of metropolitan Marone, according to Maronan popular culture.

As Miss Parth, Gourvil relocated to Danchester, and was given the opportunity to act as a model and brand ambassador for the sponsors of the Miss Parth competition, in addition to working as an ambassador internationally for the competition as a whole. During her year, Gourvil traveled to more than 40 countries around the world, participating in photoshoots, fashion shows, and interviews, while appearing as a guest at charity galas, film and television productions, red carpets, and national beauty pageants. After completing her reign following the crowning of Miss Parth 1956, Gourvil briefly began a career in the Maronan film industry, appearing in a small role in the film *Dinner Before Dawn* (1957), but she ultimately decided that she was not interested in pursuing a career as an actress and returned to her career as a hairdresser.

## Personal life

Gourvil began a relationship with Maronan accountant François Petit in 1956, meeting shortly after Gourvil returned to Delmas in the aftermath of Miss Parth 1956. They later married in December 1957, one year after beginning their relationship. Following their marriage, Gourvil and Petit relocated to Saint-Valentin-de-Fleuvre, Dibec in Lacadia in 1959, in order to build a new life there. Despite immigrating to Lacadia, neither Gourvil nor Petit ever sought Lacadian citizenship, and remained solely Maronan citizens for the entirety of their lives.

Gourvil and Petit had three children together: Éloïse (born 1962), Béatrice (born 1964), and Jérémie (born 1966), while the family resided in a "modest" four-bedroom home in Saint-Valentin-de-Fleuvre. After becoming a mother, Gourvil opted to become a homemaker, and left her career as a hairdresser. Gourvil considered herself a polyglot, and was fluent in Ditronian, Maronan, Ditrovian, and Lungarian.

## Death

Gourvil was diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia in 2013, aged 78, after complaining of tiredness and shortness of breath for several months. She began treatment for the disease, which included both chemotherapy and radiation therapy. While the treatment was initially successful, Gourvil's condition began deteriorating after several years of treatment. In December 2016, she opted to end treatment and enter hospice care, later dying of the disease on 2 January 2017, aged 81.