“For me [the crown] is like the key to open the pathway of new beginnings. It shouldn’t be worn as an ornament, but be considered as a symbol of strength and taken very seriously and the holder of such should always bear in mind that wearing the crown is no walk in the park, it’s a job and the only way to be successful is to have faith, focus and perseverance”
“When I see something I want and I put my mind to it, there isn’t much that can stop me from achieving that dream,” Miss Guyana Universe Ruqqayyah Boyer says.
And so the self-motivated Ruqqayyah moves on to the Miss Universe 2012 pageant in December.
She is inspired, she said, by Ms Universe 2011, Leila Lopes. “I have been following her ever since [her victory]. She brought a difference. She highlighted that it is not about where you came from. She brought hope that people can actually have a chance of winning the Ms Universe title,” Ruqqayyah said.
Her personal admiration for the Angolan beauty is based on the fact that she is from an African country. Ruqqayyah has been longing to visit the continent. She said Africa draws her in and she feels like a sister to Leila just knowing that she is from there.
Her lifelong source of inspiration, she said, has been the legendary Jamaican Bob Marley. “Overall I drew inspiration from the legend because I truly believed in his message and the way he went about delivering that message – it’s an example for all, to influence positive change.”
Ruqqayyah was born on April 28, 1990 in Paramaribo, Suriname, but grew up in Old Kara Kara, Linden. She describes the time as “unforgettable”; the people were always friendly, hospitable and family oriented. “Everyone is their neighbour’s keepers; you need not worry about security…” She went on further to describe the scenes of her childhood, painting a picture of dykes, hills and blue lakes. “The landscape was just perfect. I enjoyed the atmosphere. I was always swimming, flying kites and catching fish with my friends.”
After completing her primary education at the Mackenzie Primary School in Linden, young Ruqqayyah migrated to the capital and entered ISA Academy for her secondary education. But after the first three years, she moved back to Linden and completed her studies at the Mackenzie High school where she earned nine passes in the CSEC examination.
She moved on to study at St Stanislaus in Georgetown where she was accredited with an Associated Degree in General Studies and eight passes at CAPE Examinations. She is now a third-year student of International Relations at the University of Guyana.
Asked to compare Georgetown to her hometown she said the environment is very populated, the city booms with activities and has more resources and more facilities. Perhaps it was in Georgetown where her interest in the dramatic arts grew; the Theatre Guild and poetry at Upscale Restaurant, but Ruqqayyah was involved in athletics in schools growing up. She was active in athletics during her time in St Stanislaus College and performed Martial Arts at Isa Academy.
She grew up in a very multicultural and diverse family–Islamic background but with Rastafarian and Christian influences. The fourth child of 10 siblings, she said she was always Daddy’s little girl. They were not rich, but were always comfortable. “I knew how to make do with what I had. I was always a saver,” Ms Guyana Universe said.
Her move to pageantry began after she began dance classes with Classique Dance Company. “I basically came to town because I wanted to expand in the area of performing arts,” she said. She had heard about the Ms Guyana Talented Teen so she gave the pageant a try and as they say, the rest is history.
‘Always something deeper’
When asked what pageantry really means to her she said, “Pageantry is the essence of who I am, it’s a reflection of who I am, it is like looking at a mirror and recognising your weaknesses and strengths for the first time– in that it is about highlighting not only an individual qualities but what is it that she represents. It’s not just about face value, there is always something deeper.”
Asked about the pageant she just won, Ruqqayyah said, “I was confident but not over confident. But I didn’t allow doubts to come into me. What you put out that’s what comes back to you, I kept thinking positive – I had the image of Ms Universe crown all the way. There was no room for negativity, all the focus was on my country and my supporters needed me to be a strong ambassador.
“At first I was a bit nervous because for the first time ever my steps weren’t feeling natural. I didn’t want to come over as pretentious but by the swimwear I realised that the fears I had were silly and I’m needed to step up and own the stage.”
Ruqqayyah was a runner-up in the Ms Guyana World Pageant. When asked to compare the two pageants, she said, “Ms World is more ‘beauty with a purpose’ oriented. It is about finding a project and working with it on an international stage. Ms Universe is more packaging your beauty, brains, body and personality while presenting your country well.”
She has been following the Ms Guyana Universe pageant since 2007 and has been building her personal portfolio. “The whole reason for me entering is to initially showcase my talents. I have always wanted to represent Guyana. There is always a higher purpose in life, service should come first. When you give more you receive more, so I want to become an ambassador. So that’s why I decided to join the pageant. I want to be an advocate for unheard voices in Guyana; give Guyana the kind of recognition it rightfully deserves.”
Sisterhood
The Scene wanted to know what the Ms Guyana Universe crown and title really mean to her and how she plans on using them. “A crown may come across as a material object for some, and then for others it may be the most precious jewel,” she said. “For me it’s like the key to open the pathway of new beginnings. It shouldn’t be worn as an ornament, but be considered as a symbol of strength and taken very seriously and the holder of such should always bear in mind that wearing the crown is no walk in the park, it’s a job and the only way to be successful is to have faith, focus and perseverance.”
She plans on using the crown to focus on winning the international leg of the pageant. She will be training with the Ms Guyana Universe team and working on all the aspects that will help her shine when she competes for the international crown in the Dominican Republic.
“I think Guyana really stands a chance this year,” she said, adding that “eyes are already on Guyana and it’s only been a few days. I believe Leila’s presence here has given Guyana somewhat of an edge. It’s been an overdue endeavour of mine to get to the point where I can get to represent for all, now that I’m here it’s a really demanding and overwhelming feeling that I’m still getting used to. I recognise the need to look at the bigger picture; the need to represent purposefully; the need to maintain humility; the need to stand strong in the face of adversity and the need to be grateful because I feel like the luckiest person in the world.”
As regards the pageant experience, she said, “We were like a sisterhood. We recognised it was a competition but we still remained friends and helped out each other. We stuck it out, we prayed together, ate together, went out together, did everything together.”
She said that even after the top 5 contestants were selected, her “sisters” still showed support. “That kind of unison is what gave me strength and made me want to do good for Guyana, and I want to make those who believed in me proud.”
Based on the criteria set up, Ruqqayyah is the winner of Missology’s Guyana People’s Choice Award. “I was very much supported in this quest by my friends, family and hometown, with the help of the committee members they looked out for us. We didn’t have much of a hassle; the rest was just about focus.”
And she wanted to recognise those who helped. “I think in everything you do you should always be grateful and show acknowledgment to whoever it is that is responsible for playing a part in your success and making your dreams come true,” she said. “With that said, I first want to thank Almighty God for giving me the tools necessary to win this, and I hope that he will be there with me on the international scene. I would then like to thank the people of Guyana for their support especially Linden town who I consider my lifeline. Thanks to the Ms Guyana University committee allowing me the privilege of being their chosen representative; my designer Michelle Cole; my family and to all my sponsors and current sponsors who will be assisting me on this quest and every other person who has in some way contributed to my growth and development.”
Ruqqayyah is currently working on a television programme called GT 411 on BTV Channel 2, it is about everything on the entertainment industry of Guyana. Outside of that she does work with the performing arts which help with her personal budget. She also writes for a British blog called Breaking away from the Stereotypes.
She hopes to one day have her own television programme that would be supportive of the performing arts. “Hopefully those dreams would come through easier for me after winning the Ms Universe crown – my foremost goal. Leila did crown me once; it wouldn’t hurt to crown me again on the international stage.”
