Miss Universe Belize Responds to Maya Costume Controversy
Yesterday, the Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM) condemned Miss Universe Belize’s (MUB) decision to use the Mayan Deer Dance costume in the Miss Universe 2024 Pageant held in Mexico City this earlier this month.
In its statement, SATIIM said, “No Maya person brought up in their culture would ever put on a Deer Dance mask or clothing outside of the rituals.” SATIIM added, “Inspiration should not be used as an excuse for exploitation,” and further criticised that the Mayan traditional attire was reduced to mere “entertainment” and “desecrated” it for a beauty contest.
Today MUB Halima Hoy arrived back in Belize and addressed the controversy. “We released sketches of the costumes that were submitted to us since late April, early May… the sketches have been circulating since then. And we also released photos of the costume a couple weeks prior to me leaving,” Hoy said. She added, “I am proud to have represented something that I love, something that is rooted in Belizean culture.”
She stated that the costume had a positive reception, with many young women asking about its meaning, and shared how it conveyed a message of climate action, aligning with Belize’s advocacy at COP29.
While acknowledging the controversy, Halima stated, “We had no mal intentions… we had all good intentions to represent our country and something that is deeply rooted in our history.”
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