IN the dazzling whirl of the FMF Hibiscus Festival, amid towering lights, silk gowns and the roar of Suva crowds, it is easy to get lost in the glitz.
But behind the main stage, just before the talent night, 23-year-old Sala Korosaya was grounded in something far removed from the pageantry that would eventually see her crowned Miss Hibiscus 2026.
Rooted in family
Surrounded by her parents, Matai and Adi Sereima Korosaya, and close family members, Sala took part in an i sevu, a traditional offering made before embarking on an important journey.
It was a quiet moment of prayer, family and blessing before she stepped onto the stage to perform her first meke.
“There is a reason our people never let a girl step out on her own,” Sala reflected after the event.
“You go with permission, and you go with the blessing of the ones who made you.”
As tears flowed from her parents and members of her team, the moment offered a glimpse into the foundation behind Fiji’s newest pageant queen.
While Sala would go on to win the Miss Hibiscus crown, her family says her greatest achievement lies not in the titles she has earned, but in the person she remains away from the spotlight.
“Underneath all the titles, the gowns, and the glitz, she is simply our DiS,” her cousin, Salote Bokini Naulu, shared on social media.
That sentiment was echoed by her aunt, Adi Kelera Bokini-Naborisi, who described Sala as a daughter, sister and “mommy/aunty” to the family’s children — as well as everyone’s favourite baker and hair stylist.
Away from the spotlight, the student leader trades tailored blazers for oversized T-shirts, basketball shorts or a comfortable sulu tavoi.
And then there are the socks — an endearing childhood habit she has carried with her everywhere.
More than the crown
Behind the crown is a final-year University of the South Pacific student pursuing a double degree in Law and Commerce, majoring in Economics.
Sala is also president of the USP Law Students Association, a leadership role that reflects a commitment to advocacy that extends beyond the pageant stage.
Her Hibiscus advocacy was shaped by what she has encountered through her legal studies – young Fijians navigating the justice system without adequate support, positive role models or opportunities to change the direction of their lives.
She entered Hibiscus, she said, not simply for the crown, but to create spaces where young people could discover who they are and what they are capable of.
That sense of purpose has been evident throughout her life.
Growing up, Sala was described by her family as thoughtful, quiet, beautifully spoken and, at times, “very headstrong”.
That quiet determination soon translated into leadership.
From serving as a prefect and head girl at Holy Trinity to joining the student council at St Joseph’s Secondary School, her family says she has always carried a natural sense of mana.
Even her full name, Salamalawa, carries a story of family devotion.
Her maternal grandmother coined the name after Sala was born in the early hours of the morning while her grandparents were travelling to await her arrival — ‘sala’ referring to the road and ‘malawa’ to the early hours.
The name also connects her to her late namesake, Ratulevu (the late Tui Tavua Ratu Ovini Bokini) a former Cabinet minister and renowned early riser who was known for travelling between Tavua and Suva from as early as 4am.
Carrying her village forward
Sala credits her parents for instilling in her the values of hard work, ambition and integrity.
“Now the Hibiscus season has come to an end, my favourite moments or best memories was just meeting our beautiful sash sisters,” she said.
“Getting to know them from different backgrounds, different cultures. Understanding their family background.
“Definitely getting to meet other people from different works of art. But I am just grateful, truly.”
Her father, Matai Korosaya, originally from Daliconi, Vanuabalavu, in Lau and chief executive officer of Yatu Lau Co Ltd, and her mother, businesswoman Adi Sereima Lalavanua Korosaya, raised her with an understanding that leadership often comes with doubt and criticism — but that integrity is what keeps a person grounded.
Those values were reflected in the days leading up to her win, when her family remained close as she prepared to take the stage.
Now, with the Miss Hibiscus crown hers, Sala enters a new chapter carrying with her the people and values that stood behind her before she ever stepped onto the stage.
“When you have your village around you, both the one you are born into, the vanua, and the one you choose along the way, you can do anything,” she said.
For Sala, the crown may mark the beginning of a new chapter, but the foundation beneath it was built long before the lights of the Hibiscus stage found her.
She knows who she is, where she comes from, and the family that has walked beside her every step of the way.
Miss MHCC & Carpenters Tower, Sala Korosaya waves to the crowd during the closing float procesion of the 2026 FMF Hibiscus Festival in Suva on Saturday, September 05, 2026. Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU
