Rashumba Bacchus cops Miss Catre-Cal-Ab African Heritage crown

A large crowd turned out last Sunday at the Mahaicony Technical Institute — all buzzing with excitement with their presumed choice of queen — for the 2022 Miss Catre-Cal-Ab African Heritage beauty pageant.
The pageant has returned to the Mahaicony district after an 18-year hiatus, and, quite naturally, it was attended by patrons from almost every village in Mahaicony and Berbice.

The seven beautiful ladies, each representing countries in the African continent, took to the stage in the Introductory Segment, and left the crowd enthralled after they had performed a sizzling opening dance.
The eventual queen, Rashumba Bacchus (Miss Nigeria), was a scene stealer from the start of the event, delivering an introduction that created shockwaves and evoking thunderous applause at the venue. Saucy, bubbly and flirtatious, she unleashed a sultry sizzle that had the audience screaming their unanimous approval.
First Runner-up Anasa Williams (Miss Ghana) kept it subtle and delivered a worthy presentation in this segment.
Notable presentations also came from Miss Congeniality, Aliyah Branche, (Miss Zimbabwe) and Gabriel Thomas (Miss South Africa), who copped the award for Best Evening Gown.

The queen and first runner-up, as stated by the judges, were separated by a mere two points’ difference when the scores were finally tallied.
From the very beginning of the proceedings on pageant night, the race for royalty was on among Miss South Africa, Miss Nigeria and Miss Ghana. These three saucy divas each tried to outdo the other with eloquent speeches, electric pivots, sultry sashays, and a runway presence associated with legendary fashion icons.
Sadly, there was no prize for Best Talent, but it was Queen Rashumba who thrilled the audience with her dramatic poetry. Her talent piece told the riveting tale of the serene beauty of an African woman. As the poem unfolded, it carried with it a rich, suggestive, and almost erotic tale of the African woman’s undulating curves, lush hips, plush bosoms, pouting lips, and mirthful laughter that echoes in the valleys and hills of Africa. She sealed the deal nicely with lots of hip-shaking and strutting across the stage like a regal African Queen.

First Runner-up Anasa Williams opened her talent showcase with a captivating tale of the strength and worth of the African woman. What started as a simple presentation culminated with an exciting crescendo as she delivered a mind-boggling vocal presentation of the popular song “I’ll Rise Up”, much to the delight of the large audience.
Aliyah Branche and Gabriel Thomas were also impressive with their talent presentations.
The Evening Gown and Intelligent Segment was one to die for, as the seven beauties took to the stage showcasing mesmerising pieces created by some of the best countryside fashion designers. As opined by many, Anasa Williams’s Evening Gown was by far the most intricate and stately, but maybe the judges had a different point of view.
As the ladies paraded in some of the most creative and eye-catching apparel, a magnificent blur of African hues and shades was created.
Miss Congeniality Aliyah Branche’s headwear was deemed the most alluring, and she surely rocked it well during her presentation.

Many stuttered and fumbled during the Intelligence Forum, forgetting parts of their answers and freezing up on stage altogether. But the queen and first runner-up were on point, delivering answers that had the audience loudly applauding and the judges nodding their heads in approval.
When the judges’ decision was announced, it was no surprise that the bubbly Rashumba Bacchus was declared queen. Relatives and friends rushed to the stage screaming, almost knocking the queen’s crown and bouquet of flowers to the floor.
The brilliance of the night was augmented by presentations from talented local singer/calypsonian Paul Perry; poet Hazel Chester; ‘Keisha’ with her ‘Puppet Demonstration’, and a few notable others.