{"id":21268,"date":"2026-08-13T22:35:46","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T20:35:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mixtv1.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/13\/former-miss-universe-canada-stops-competition-to-call-out-contestant-costumes-there-was-cultural-appropriation\/"},"modified":"2026-08-13T22:36:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T20:36:36","slug":"former-miss-universe-canada-sparks-controversy-after-calling-out-cultural-appropriation-in-contestant-costumes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mixtv1.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/13\/former-miss-universe-canada-sparks-controversy-after-calling-out-cultural-appropriation-in-contestant-costumes\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Miss Universe Canada Sparks Controversy After Calling Out \u2018Cultural Appropriation\u2019 in Contestant Costumes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Addressing Cultural Misappropriation on the Miss Universe Canada Stage<\/h2>\n

The 2024 Miss Universe Canada pageant recently became the center of a significant controversy, forcing a temporary halt to the proceedings. Ashley Callingbull, the reigning Miss Universe Canada 2024<\/a>, took a firm stand during the live broadcast to confront an instance of cultural appropriation<\/a> that occurred during the preliminary rounds.<\/p>\n

A Stand for Indigenous Representation<\/h3>\n

During the August 8 event, the 36-year-old Plains Cree activist and titleholder made history as the first Indigenous woman to win the crown<\/a>. Her tenure has been defined by a commitment to advocacy, which culminated in a powerful moment on stage. Just as pageant director Sonny Borrelli prepared to reveal the top 20 finalists, Callingbull stepped in to address the audience directly.<\/p>\n

Reflecting on her journey, Callingbull emphasized the gravity of her position: \u201cBeing the first First Nations Miss Universe Canada has been the honor of a lifetime. Achieving this dream was a milestone I worked toward for years.\u201d However, she noted that her pride was overshadowed by recent events that required immediate accountability.<\/p>\n

The Incident: Costume Competition Controversy<\/h3>\n

The controversy stemmed from the national costume segment held on August 4. During this portion of the competition, contestants Karisa Haverkamp and Jasleen Kaily appeared in attire that drew heavily from Indigenous regalia. For many, the use of such sacred symbols as mere fashion accessories is a painful reminder of the historical exploitation of Indigenous cultures.<\/p>\n

Callingbull, who viewed the footage of the costumes after the fact, felt compelled to speak out. \u201cMistakes were made, and I felt it was necessary to acknowledge them,\u201d she stated in a viral social media clip. \u201cI witnessed cultural appropriation directed at Indigenous peoples during the national costume round, and I could not let that pass without comment.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Broader Impact of Cultural Sensitivity<\/h3>\n

This incident highlights a growing tension in global pageantry regarding the line between cultural appreciation and appropriation. In an era where diversity and inclusion are increasingly prioritized, organizations are under greater pressure to vet costumes and ensure that participants respect the origins of the garments they wear. According to recent industry reports, pageant organizations are now facing stricter scrutiny from advocacy groups, with many calling for mandatory cultural sensitivity training for both contestants and designers to prevent the trivialization of heritage.<\/p>\n

\u00bb More Info >>><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a powerful stand for integrity, Ashley Callingbull-the first Indigenous woman to be crowned Miss Universe Canada-brought the 2024 pageant to a sudden, dramatic halt. While hosting the August 8 ceremony, the 36-year-old queen stepped in to interrupt director Sonny Borrelli just moments before the top 20 announcement, choosing to pause the competition to directly confront an instance of cultural appropriation involving two contestants<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":21269,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ai_generated_summary":"","wpai_meta_description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[708,36],"class_list":["post-21268","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-netbuzz","tag-lifestyle","tag-mixtv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mixtv1.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21268","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mixtv1.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mixtv1.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mixtv1.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/55"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mixtv1.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21268"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mixtv1.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21268\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mixtv1.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21269"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mixtv1.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mixtv1.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mixtv1.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}