Here’s three more contestants stepping up for the fiercest Blak drag pageant in the country, Miss First Nations, this week at Brisbane Powerhouse for Melt Festival.
Miss First Nation provides a platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander drag excellence to shine bright.
After a hiatus and all-stars edition at Sydney World Pride in 2023, the competition is returning bigger, bolder, and more fabulous than ever.
This Thursday and Friday at Brisbane Powerhouse, First Nations drag artists bring their style, story, culture, and power to the stage.
More than a pageant, this is a celebration of community, connection, and unfiltered creativity.
We’ve spoken contestants Ayleesha Tryed, Kitty Obsidian and El Beauty, and now its time to meet some more.
All these artists will claim a place in history, but which one will take the crown?
Nervous but also excited, Wiradjuri Condobolin drag artists Tina Cox can’t wait for Miss First Nations this week.
“I’m very keen to be able to showcase my people and who I am and what I am as an artist.” Tina tells QNews.
“Just being able to show light to the next generation, to show that we are powerful and belong on stage is special.”
“Because I feel like I’m putting so much pressure onto myself to do community and the next generation proud.” Tina said.
“So that they have someone to look up to, I hope I do everyone proud and stuff.”
Images: Supplied‘I’m nervous’
For Tina, enterting Miss First Nations was an opportunity to showcase her home base Canberra.
“To be honest, I really eanted to showcase Canberra art, to show that we are talented.”
“It wasn’t really for me.” she said, “It’s for my people.”
“I know saying that may sound stupid to some people, but I really wanted to showcase that.”
“Growing up in NSW I was always told you have to play football or do sport, but we can be seen for more than that.
“So I want to showcase that we were more than just athletics, and can tell stories in other way.”
Tina has been doing drag for two years, and even though she’s a baby in the. competition, she already feels like a legend.
“I feel like I’m a superhero in my own way,” Tina said,
“Only in two years and people already book up to me, it’s amazing.”
Tina’s drag family Ayleesah Tryed and Ashtray Moonay are also competing in Miss First Nations this year.
“El Beauty as my drag mum has helped me through my journey of drag,” Tina said,
“When I started doing drag, Ashtray helped me get booked in Canberra and really showed me the ropes.”
“Then El came in and took me up to the sky and made me shine like a star.”
Image: Supplied‘When I’m in drag, I feel like she’s a superhero’
“I am a little bit scared to compete with them, because they are people that I look up to. ” Tina said.
“I shouldn’t really stress about them, but I am, because I want to do them proud and show the hard work they put into me to be where I am today.”
Being nonbinary out of drag, Tina wants to “showcase to our next generation that you can be whoever you want to be.
“Don’t let your light dim, because you should shine bright like a diamond.
“When I’m in drag, I feel like she’s a superhero.”
“Tina has helped me be the person I am today, inspiring myself, and the community and Canberra to feel safe and to be themselves.
“I want to be able to showcase that we are deadly, we are awesome, and we are motherf***ing blak.”
For Wiradjuri drag artsist Oxy-Kodeine, they are more exited than you can imagine for Miss First Nations.
“I found out about the pageant when I was in my first year of drag, preparing for my first comp in Canberra, alongside side my sister Tina Cox.” Oxy told us.
“As soon as I discovered the it, I knew that I wanted to strive towards competing and hopefully taking the title of supreme queen.”
“Because Miss First Nations isn’t like other comps, it means so much more.
“The opportunity and preparation for this comp had been almost 3 years in the making, and now I feel like I am more ready than ever.”
Images : SuppliedMiss First Nations is ‘incredibly important’
Everyone has different ways they prepare for a competition, Oxy-Kodeine’s is “scattered and or widespread.”
“I have travelled between three different states to cover my bases and bring everything together.” they said.
“To say it was busy would be an understatement, but with all of the chaos I feel as though I have grown immensely and professionally.”
Oxy has been doing drag for three years, “which is mind blowing to me considering it was only supposed to be a once off thing.” they said.
“I think the reason I went back and started drag for myself was for the feeling of complete euphoria and confidence it gave me.”
“A side which had previously been lacking.
“It’s incredibly important to have a pageant such as Miss First Nations.
“To be able to represent the rich culture that can sometimes be masked and faded out of other competitions and/or pageants within drag scenes.
“It allows a space to be created for us as First Nations Queer artists to drag our way, the way we want to do it.”
Jukun, Nyul Nyul, Bardi and Anmatyerre drag artist, Magenta, has been excited for Miss First Nations ever since it was announced.
“It’s the best platform to showcase First Nation excellence,” Magenta said.
“I remember hearing about it when I was new to performing and thinking how exciting it would be to compete and represent my culture and drag.”
For the last few months, Magenta has been preparaing emotionally for this week.
“Finding out that I got in was one of the most exciting days of my drag career.” she said.
Images: SuppliedPreperation has been ‘stressfull and exciting’
Magenta has been doing drag for the past three years.
“I first started doing drag for fun when going out drinking in clubs,” she said.
“But after seeing so many queens on stage at some point I knew I had to get up there.
“Performing looked like a lot of fun and I knew I had to find a way to get on stage.
“It means the world to me to be in Miss First Nations.
“Preparing to show off my drag has been a stressful and exciting experience.
“And it means I get to share my artistry.
“To present myself on the most exciting platform I could ever ask for.”
Heats 1 and 2 of Miss First Nations take place at Brisbane Powerhouse this Thursday and Friday.
This pageant is Blak excellence and its return is a highlight of Melt Festival.
Find out more and get your tickets here.
Image: SuppliedFor the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, and community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
