Guyana’s Lisa Narine finishes as first runner-up in Miss Glocal International 2021

Lisa Andrea Narine. Photo by Draystudiogy
Lisa Andrea Narine. Photo by Draystudiogy

Lisa Andrea Narine, who represented Guyana in the virtual Miss Glocal International 2021 pageant last week did exceptionally well, ending in the first runner-up position after competing with representatives from approximately 20 countries. Also in the top ten were Botswana, Ghana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa and Tanzania.

Lisa said it was no walk in the park as the other young women brought strong competition. Nonetheless, she had prepared her A-game though that was easier said than done for the 24-year-old who had less than two weeks to get it all together. Added to this, Lisa who is an International Relations Management student at the University of Guyana, and had to stay on top of her studies, also has a full-time job as a creative marketing agent and teaches dance. However, it was nothing new for the young woman who has always been constructively occupied for as long as she can remember.

“Growing up I always loved the arts whether it was dancing, singing or painting and at one point it was sports: badminton, football, cricket. I was adventurous and I still am. My mom would always get mad at me because I didn’t know how to stay still or just be. I always loved being on the go, participating in the next activity, wondering how I could tackle the next thing. I saw life as one big obstacle course and I loved reaching the next goal. But that’s what got me here today,” explained Lisa.

Dancing became a part of her life when she was eight. She pursued the art form for several years until she started West Demerara Secondary School when she took a hiatus. However, she started again two years ago when she joined the Jeewan ka Nritya dance group founded and spearheaded by director of Elite Pageant Company – Guyana, Roshini Boodhoo. She remains a student of this group and spends her Sundays teaching dance to the children in Parfaite Harmonie, where she currently resides.

Lisa recalled watching pageants on television as a girl. As she grew, so did her fascination for pageantry. She noted how much she loved the way they gracefully walked across the stage and the confidence they exuded.

“There is the stereotype that surrounds the pageant industry that it’s just a beauty pageant

and as I grew, I learnt that it was much more than just external beauty or how well you model a gown; it calls for discipline, grace, elegance, talent, eloquence and most importantly confidence and intellectual merit. It teaches you the importance of community, networking, problem-solving skills, and much more. For me, it shapes you in so many aspects of your life [and equips you with] all [the] qualities of a young leader needed to execute the platform that you as an individual are passionate about [including] being an ambassador for your country,” Lisa pointed out.

Lisa’s first experience with pageantry was when she participated in the Miss/Mrs/Teen/Mr India Worldwide Guyana pageant. She finished as first runner-up in this pageant also. It was the closest thing to competing in a physical setting as COVID-19 protocols restricted her and fellow contestants to social distancing.

Though the pageant had designated trainers, Lisa said Roshini was a mentor. As part of the selection committee for Elite Pageant Company – Guyana, Roshini went on to select Lisa to represent Guyana at the Miss Tourism International Pageant. She, however, did not place. The committee again selected her to compete in the Miss Glocal International Pageant.

Lisa, along with Roshini who was also present during the interview with The Scene, agreed that participating in a virtual pageant was not easier than if she was doing so in a physical setting. Roshini shared that Lisa was required to present two videos: one on culture and the other on spreading awareness on COVID and sharing how she could bring peace during the pandemic. Competing in a pageant in a physical setting, the contestant is required to be prepared to answer her questions and as such, for the videos, they wanted to showcase Lisa’s intelligence by doing one take for each video where she shared on her respective topics. Unlike a physical, live pageant, a virtual pageant allows the judges to replay videos from the contestants and scrutinise them, so it was important to get it right.

Lisa also took the initiative to practice her catwalk skills for her other videos and pictures and secured a professional photographer to assist with the same to provide the international selection body with only the best. It was probably all of these factors which contributed to her walking away with the Top Model Award.

Roshini shared that the Miss Glocal International Pageant is relatively new having been introduced last year. It originated in Ghana and promotes culture, eco-tourism and sports. However, with the pageant being hosted virtually, contestants were unable to compete in the sports category.

The first runner-up shared that despite the restrictions by the pandemic of being together in one place, she doesn’t regret anything. Though disheartened at not being able to meet her pageant sisters, she noted that they have learnt a lot from each other, adding that she shared about Guyana’s culture with them. More so, she was elated to have shared about Guyana’s eco-tourism in her video, particularly with Guyana being named number one in the ecotourism industry last year.

Aside from the videos, Lisa also competed in National Costume, Talent, Evening Gown, and Runway segments. The national costume which was put together by Roshini was an ensemble displaying both the African and Indian culture of Guyana; a caiman was used as prop.

Lisa has many passions and one of them is the empowering of women and children. She has her heart set on this so much that she made it her platform for all three pageants. “I want to see more women and children being empowered, especially women. They put more focus on their family and kids and lose sight of their dreams. They can take up skills like dancing, sewing, cooking or get into doing small business. I don’t just want them to be empowered but to also encourage other women,” said Lisa.

Her new favourite quote which she tries to live by is one she and Roshini came up with last year when she was competing for the Miss India Worldwide Guyana pageant as it best described their vision: “Everyone has a purpose in life, that one thing that sets you apart from the others, find your purpose, work tirelessly and make it happen!”

She added, “I want my legacy to be one that inspires others to have a purposeful life. I think we’re all designed uniquely and if my story can be of substance to inspire even if it’s just one person, to have continued hope in finding and living their purpose, then I would have fulfilled mine.”

Sharing on her inspiration, Lisa said she sources this from her family particularly her mother who helps to keep her grounded, humble and is her source of motivation and peace through it all. “My role model, as a bit cliché as it may sound, is my mother. [She is] my first role model that I witnessed firsthand… tackle challenges even when it felt like all odds were against her. She gave me so much with so little and from her I saw the ideal example of a woman’s strength and resilience. No matter what our family faced, her words were always ‘Once there is life, there is hope and nothing is unattainable’”

Academically, Lisa attended Two Brothers Primary School, West Demerara Secondary and School of the Nations where she studied Business and Marketing Management. Following her International Relations Management degree, she hopes to pursue political law studies. “I believe that you can make changes within your community but I also believe in the power youths have in [the] higher chambers of decision making, and if you want to make a difference you first need to equip yourself in doing so,”

Academics and intended career aside, she hopes to grow more culturally.

When she is not as busy, Lisa enjoys dancing and archery which she does through the Narda and Anand Archers group. “I love finding new things to do, I thrive on spontaneity and tackling new goals,” she said and added that she is contemplating competing in other pageants in the future.

Arnelia Novitasari of Indonesia won the Miss Glocal International 2021 title and Kaila Mariz Mostajo from the Philippines finished in third place.