Trading Red Bands for six-inch heels: Steep rise of a Māori pageant mum

The pink and white kākahu is acknowledgement to Te Ōtūkapuarangi – the Pink and White Terraces which her tūpuna cared for, and her long overskirt represents Aotearoa – the long white cloud.
By Emma Andrews of RNZ
When Vannessa Savage-Taranaki (Tainui, Ngāti Rangitihi) isn’t eeling, diving, or running after her tamariki, she’s bringing te ao Māori to the international pageant stage.
The 34-year-old mum-of-two thought she was settling into whānau life on the farm, but since stepping into the beauty pageant world last year, her life is only ramping up.
“I wanted to rebuild myself as a mum and I saw pageantry as a great opportunity for that as it builds different skills in you and gives you the tools to be confident again.”
From the old mining village of Glen Massey in Waikato, she’s used to hooning on quad bikes and chopping trees for her family’s logging company, but her inner barbie sparked her to enter for Mrs Waikato 2023.
“We were raised on the farm so I can walk in both worlds. I’ve always loved the pretty, fancy stuff but I was raised a tomboy.
“I wouldn’t have been able to walk in heels when I first started out but now, I can walk in six-inch stage heels, I’m a different person now.”
When she took the stage, she performed poi with local kids and did a solo glow poi performance to showcase her roots.
And winning the title became her ticket to the United States.
Savage-Taranaki recently returned from the Ms World International pageant in Miami Beach, Florida with five crowns; Mrs New Zealand World International 2024, Top Ambassador World International 2024, Runner up Overall Mrs World International 2024, Runner up Model World International 2024, and Mrs Inked World International 2024.
“I had never left the country before, so it was a wild experience for me,” she said.
“I was just honoured to represent my country and give America a taste of what Kiwis have to offer.”
It was the first time the competition had a New Zealander in the mix, let alone a Māori.
Savage-Taranaki said her tūpuna, her iwi elders, and Aotearoa were displayed through the many elements in the outfit she wore for the competition’s cultural day.
Her national costume was handmade by one of her Ngāti Rangitihi elders who incorporated Ngā waru pumanawa o Rangitihi – the eight beating hearts of Rangitihi/Te Arawa.
The pink and white kākahu is acknowledgement to Te Ōtūkapuarangi – the Pink and White Terraces which her tūpuna cared for, and her long overskirt represents Aotearoa – the long white cloud.
Competing amongst the glitz and glam gave Savage-Taranaki the chance to promote “prevention over cure” for avoidable health issues as her father, who she cares for, was diagnosed with stage five kidney and heart failure.
“We ended up getting him on molecular hydrogen and he became a lot better after that.”
This form of therapy has been popular in Japan for the past 20 years, she said.
“I’m raising money to bring hydrogen machines to the country for others who are like my dad.”
Before pageantry, the only experience similar was modelling at the Hamilton 400 V8 supercar event and the said-to-be fight of the century between David Tua and Shane Cameron.
While navigating parenthood, her dad’s illness, pageantry, and country living, she also created the Savage Clothing line for bikers, does facials, and has a cake business, but had to “put those on the backburner”.
“I am a mum first and foremost, a lot of what I’m doing is for their future.”
– RNZ