Ratu Teluwaih Jinih is a local beauty pageant based in

Mukah Mukah ( muːkəh), historically known as Muka is a coastal town which serves as the capital and the administrative center of the Mukah Division since 1 March 2002. The district also covers an area of with a population about 49,900 in the Muka ...

Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...

. Began in 2008, it is the centerpiece of the Mukah Kaul Festival, which usually lasts a week. The reigning Ratu Teluwaih Jinih is Eunice Vanessa Francis from Miri. She was crowned by

Miss World Malaysia 2018 Miss World Malaysia 2018, the 51st edition of the Miss World Malaysia and the first edition under a new management was held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching in Sarawak on 8 September 2018. Present were Sarawak Chief Minister, Datuk Pati ...

Larissa Ping Larissa Ping Liew (born 18 March 1999) is a Malaysian model, fashion blogger and beauty pageant titleholder, who was crowned Miss World Malaysia 2018. She represented Malaysia at Miss World 2018 pageant, where she placed in the Top 30. Personal ...

on 29 April 2023 at Kala Dana Beach, Mukah.

Background

''Teluwaih Jinih'' literally means "beautiful lady" in the

Melanau language Melanau is an Austronesian language spoken in the coastal area of the Rajang delta on northwest Borneo, Sarawak, Malaysia and Brunei. There are several dialects—Mukah-Oya, Balingian, Bruit, Dalat, Lawas, Igan, Sarikei, Segahan, Prehan, Seg ...

and is one of the main event during Kaul Mukah festival. The pageant is open for participants of Melanau descent ages 18 to 30 and is held to find the icon for Melanau women aside from promoting and enliven the festival itself. The competition has the concept of showcasing the traditional Melanau attire and contemporary attire that is prepared by the participants themselves and was conceived specially to promote the Melanau traditional attire to those people who never knew about the Melanau culture. From 2023 edition onward, the evening gown segment was added to showcase the gown made by Sarawakian designers. Besides than promoting the culture, the competition itself also provide Melanau's women a chance and opportunities to showcase their abilities, talents and knowledge as well as to discover modelling talents among its participants. The competition is applicable to those of the Melanau race (pure or mixed), from or outside Mukah and organized by the Sri Ritma Borneo Mukah Culture Club and Melanau Mukah Association. Many

Europeans Europeans are the focus of European ethnology, the field of anthropology related to the various ethnic groups that reside in the states of Europe. Groups may be defined by common genetic ancestry, common language, or both. Pan and Pfeil (2004) ...

, who travelled to Kingdom of Sarawak would bring the story about how fair and beautiful Melanau girls they met. Eda Green wrote in her book in 1909;

"...the Milanaus, whose girls are as fair as any Europeans and the belles of Borneo."

Background

Titleholders

List of Runner-ups

Editions

Notes

References