Maruseana Sititi is making her mark in fashion, pageantry, and community service, all the while upholding her Samoan faith and values. Photo: Marc Membrere and Ro Setu - @StreetsofSamoa
Born into a very recognisable Samoan family, known for their skills ranging from sport to pageantry, Maruseana Sititi (Alafua, Lotopa, Tufulele, Poutasi Falealili, Safa'ato'a Lefaga) knows what it means to carry a name.
But at 26, she is steadily shaping her own path, having recently been Miss Samoa runner-up in the renowned 2025 competition.
Amidst a lifestyle of service, community, culture and family, while balancing her pursuit for Miss Samoa, Sititi may appear to have a lot to live up to.
The sister of star All Black, Wallace Sititi, and daughter of legendary Manu Samoa loose forward Semo Sititi - she spent much of her childhood overseas, calling places like Scotland, Japan and England her home.
The whānau moved frequently in pursuit of her father's rugby career, and while it scattered them across the globe, one thing in ther family remained unwavering - their faith, and their Samoan values.
"I wouldn't change the upbringing I had. Yes, we travelled a lot, but the foundation of our Samoan values - alofa, tautua, service, listening and obeying, all remained the same," Sititi said.
"I'm very grateful for my upbringing. I got to experience different schools, I met many different people. At the same time, my parents always told me to stay true to who I am.".
The whānau eventually settled back in Aotearoa when Sititi was around 15 years old.
With time, she quickly realised the value and longevity of her parents' "strict" values system, and that for young Pasifika, it is important to have your identity reaffirmed.
"When you are shifting around when you are younger, and not necessarily in the homeland, maintaining that sense of culture and identity is so important," she said.
"I thought they were hard on us, but it actually made me more appreciative of our culture, our language, and maintaining that as I grew up.
"I still have a lot to learn, always, but I'm grateful for all of it."
Maruseana Sititi and her family, photographed by @falefiaroache x @roachestudio Photo: @falefiaroache x @roachestudio
Sititi added that she has always been inspired to pursue her own pathway, investing in her passions and skills that have now seen her career expand.
"I am very proud to be their daughter. I'm very proud to be my brother's sister, and my siblings, too. So for me, it's more of a - use that in a way to create my own pathway, but in a different light," she said.
Sititi's venture into the pageantry world was largely inspired by her aunty, who was a previous Miss Samoa title winner.
Sititi said that she has vivid memories of experiencing her aunty's win as a child, drawn to not only the spectacle and fabulousness of the event, but mainly what the women there represented.
"Miss Samoa was something I always wanted to do," Sititi added.
"Watching my aunty, I thought it was so inspiring and so beautiful… but it wasn't just the glamour. It was who these women were behind the scenes."
True to what Sititi grew up learning, her interest wasn't motivated by appearance, or attention. She was inspired by service and responsibility.
"That whole journey was very much a God-led experience," she said.
"There were struggles and challenges leading up to it, but it was also a time for me to come home, reconnect with my family, and really understand who I am as a Tamaitai Samoa."
Her experience, of course, was well worth it. Sititi placed as first runner-up, having represented Tapa Creation, notably winning the Miss Tourism award and Best Talent.
"I loved the experience," Sititi said. "Coming back home and reconnecting with everyone… it reminded me where I come from."
Sititi's passions lie in advocacy for education, particularly among youth, and she hopes to broaden the definition of education beyond formal institutions.
"My mum taught me, there is not just education in uni and paper work, but it's also the education you learn at home."
Sititi also hopes to encourage young people to see education as both a foundation and an opportunity, while also believing in their own potential.
"No dream is too far of a reach," Sititi said.
Maruseana Sititi is making her mark in fashion, pageantry, and community service, all the while upholding her Samoan faith and values. Photo: Marc Membrere and Ro Setu - @StreetsofSamoa
Sititi added that pageantry plays a unique role in affirming identity, especially for those raised away from their homelands.
While pageants elsewhere have become controversial, specifically across Western culture - with critics around the beauty standards set - Sititi said that Miss Samoa was an experience grounded in culture and humility.
"There's so much that happens behind the scenes that people don't see," she said. "The preparation, the struggles... that's where resilience is built.
"That's where you see women who are doing this for their families and their communities."
That feeling of purpose was reinforced when the contestants were taken on a retreat early on in the competition.
Unbeknownest to Sititi, the retreat was held in her mother's village in Poutasi, Falealili, a moment she describes as "divinely timed".
"When I arrived and realised where we were, I thought, 'This is why I'm here; it's all part of Gods plan'. It was such a full-circle moment," she said.
Sititi said the week away was filled with reunions, seeing family for the first time in over 20 years.
Later, on the eve of the official opening, Sititi was surprised by her mother, who had arrived unexpectedly during rehearsals.
"I felt ready, but something was missing for me and I didn't quite know what it was," Sititi recalled.
"So come Sunday, the night before the official opening, we were still rehearsing... I had a cape on to do a full reveal moment, and as I turned around, I see my mum just standing there outside. I just cried in her arms. I knew at that moment, that is what was missing.That was what I needed."
Behind the scenes, her extended family worked tirelessly, helping her to sew outfits and rehearse, often late at night. Sititi specifically called out her aunties and uncles, whose help preparing traditional attire left her feeling even more grounded.
"They could have been anywhere else, but they were all there, doing this together," she said.
Equally meaningful was the sisterhood formed among the contestants, which Sititi described as evidence of the unity and mutual respect within pageantry, in comparison to rivalry.
"It never felt like a competition," she said. "We've built a real sisterhood… We still keep in touch."
Placing as runner-up was a humbling moment, made even more special by seeing her family in the audience.
As she looks ahead, Sititi is prioritising Samoa through service, uplifting youth, celebrating culture, and staying true to her values.
She also hopes to continue working with her major sponsor, Tapa Creation, while representing her family and church communities in both Samoa and Aotearoa.
Above all, Sititi hopes her journey encourages other youngsters to continue taking leaps and bounds to reach their dreams.
"Don't be afraid to chase your dream. It's never too late."
