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MITTIMATALIK/POND INLET
One might expect that young men would be rushing to get to know Jena Merkosak, who beat 35 other women to be named Miss Pond Inlet July 9. But only one guy was able to say he got cozy with the beauty queen: her three-year-old son. To him, though, she's simply mom.

Jena Merkosak (in the white dress) beat out 35 other women to earn the title of Miss Pond Inlet July 9 during Nunavut Day celebrations. - photo courtesy of Jeeteetah Merkosak

"He was playing outside," Merkosak said, recalling the moment she won the title. "He didn't care. He was interested to see my tiara, though."

It was the first year the 20-year-old Qikiqtani School Operations receptionist and clerk had the courage to enter the Nunavut Day pageant at the hamlet community hall.

"As a little girl, I would always imagine myself as being a princess, and when there was a Miss Pond Inlet contest, I really wanted to participate," she said. "I didn't have the confidence and I didn't do it because I was too shy."

But the recent graduate of Nunavut Sivuniksavut decided 2012 was different.

"This time, I told myself, I'm not going to be shy," she recalled. "I'll do my best and I'm going to have fun. That was the most important part of making myself go out there, and I guess it showed how fun it was for me."

To win, she had to impress the five judges, who were chosen that night by the hamlet's recreation co-ordinator.

"We had to dress nicely and be very presentable, like have your hair fixed, makeup, and girly stuff," she said. "We all dressed up and when it was time, we all walked out together and walked in a circle, and then when we were done, we all turns walking down the line and back to model."

After the first round, the pool of 36 contestants was narrowed to 10. After another parade – no swimsuits or speeches about world peace here – the judges deliberated before calling the women forward for the announcement.

"It was very nerve-wracking for every one of us," Merkosak said. "There was a pause, and everyone was very, very quiet. And then she shouted my name, I stood up, I waved at everyone, and everyone was going crazy, clapping and yelling. I felt like I was on top of the mountain."

It was a special moment for her mom, too.

"I'm so proud of her," Jeeteetah Merkosak said of her daughter, the youngest of six children. "I'm glad she wanted to participate and be one of the contestants for Miss Pond Inlet and she got chosen as one. I know she was good at representing Pond Inlet when she was taking Nunavut Sivuniksavut program in Ottawa and she will be good at representing people of Pond Inlet as Miss Pond Inlet."

The honour comes with the aforementioned tiara and a $300 cash prize, which Jena says she is saving. It also comes with the title until Nunavut Day 2013.

"I'm still kind of surprised," Jena said. "Every time I wake up, I tell myself, I'm Miss Pond Inlet. It's a really great honour."

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