FIFTY years ago, a bubbly teenager, Ava Joy Gill, entered the Miss Jamaica beauty pageant. She was crowned Miss Jamaica and represented the country at the Miss World contest in London where she placed fifth behind Miss Guyana, Miss Portugal, Miss United Kingdom, and Miss Brazil.

Gill — who is the mother to two adult sons and is married to former tourism executive Noel Mignott — spoke to the Jamaica Observer about entering the Miss Jamaica contest and life after the pageant.

According to her, it was the summer holidays and she was still a student at the Immaculate Conception High School when she entered the competition, which was then promoted by the Government of Jamaica.

“I was about to graduate from high school, making plans to attend university and while having lunch with friends in Times Store [novelty store on King Street in downtown Kingston]. A member of the Festival Commission came by our table and suggested I enter the pageant. I knew there would be opposition from my family, but after we considered that I had no immediate plans for the summer, they agreed I should go ahead,” Gill recalled.

She compared the Miss Jamaica contest back then to the pageants of today.

“The difference in the pageant in 2021 may be that in 1971, Jamaica was still in its first decade as an independent nation. The contest was staged by the Government through the Festival Commission, and it was an integral part of the Independence celebrations for our young nation. So, in that tradition, the second runner-up was crowned Miss Festival, the first runner-up was crowned Miss Independence, and the winner was crowned Miss Jamaica and represented Jamaica at the Miss World contest, the oldest and pre-eminent international beauty competition of that time. The staging of the pageant eventually transitioned to the private sector with several other Miss Jamaica pageants being staged. These contests all continue to provide an opportunity for young women to proudly promote Jamaica on the world stage and they are successfully doing so,” she said.

She said she enjoyed the camaraderie among the contestants during her time in the pageant.

“The contestants stayed together at what was the Casa Monte hotel and, although we were competing, there was a camaraderie among us that I treasure. We learned more about Jamaica, visiting institutions, making appearances at several events. There were training sessions for etiquette and grooming and the tradition of visiting with the first Prime Minister Sir Alexander Bustamante and his wife, Lady Bustamante, at their residence in Irish Town – all of which were the foundation of a great learning experience,” said Gill.

Being crowned Miss Jamaica 1971 was a life-changing experience.

“I became lost in the whirlwind of the celebrations and activities that followed but above all, I was happy to share this achievement with my family, my friends, and I enjoyed the support and the kind wishes I had from my fellow contestants,” she said.

She also shared some of the highlights during her reign as Miss Jamaica.

“The highlight of the year was having the many occasions to represent Jamaica at national and international events. Consequently, I learned even more about Jamaica’s history and culture and that of the countries I had the opportunity to visit. The experiences gave me a lifelong interest in national and world social and economic matters. These were platforms that interested me while in high school. The privilege of being Miss Jamaica 1971 continues to have a lingering impact on my actions. It was a formative and enlightening year that became a natural passage to everything that I would pursue throughout the years that followed,” Gill explained.

Gill shared her experience at the Miss World grand final in London.

“It was my first visit to London and besides the sightseeing, the contest-related appearances and press conferences, most surprising were the betting sites on the contestants. I was accompanied by a chaperone, Miss Lee, from the Festival Commission and I was well looked after. I shared a room with Miss Guyana, and although, with 56 entrants competing in the pageant, interactions were fleeting. I enjoyed meeting the representatives from other countries and I felt great to have placed fifth.” After her reign as Miss Jamaica 1971 ended, Gill attended university in the United States.

“I studied sociology, and my first job after university was with the Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the United Nations. From there, I went on to join the Jamaica Foreign Service and spent several years working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in posts in New York, London, and Jamaica.”

Gill, who currently resides in New York City, is from Rockfort in east Kingston. She is a former student of the Alpha Infant and Alpha Primary schools on South Camp Road.

She still keeps in touch with some of the females whom she met in pageantry.

“Marilyn and I remained friends for a few years and although I hear of her through mutual acquaintances, we have not been in touch for a long time, but I do enjoy long-lasting relationships with other Miss Jamaica winners. I have contact with Betty Ann Lindo [Miss Jamaica 1970] who preceded me, while Laurel Williams (Miss Jamaica 1967) who was a judge the year I won, remains a cherished friend and is the godmother of my second son. I continue to share a lasting and close friendship with Patsy Yuen [Miss Jamaica 1973 and third place in Miss World]. Patsy is the godmother of my first son. To a less frequent extent I have contact with a former schoolmate Cindy Breakspeare [Miss World 1976].”

Gill offered some advice to young women entering pageants today.

“Although there is controversy regarding beauty pageants, beauty is always sought after in many platforms, including the arts and fashion, and pageants have evolved to encompass changing concepts of beauty. Happily, this includes a broader appreciation of the female and today it would appear that most contests are more conscious of the contemporary ethics of the time in which they are held and reflect those social and political trends in the choice of the representatives. I would not discourage young women from pursuing opportunities wherever they arise. Beauty pageants can be a compass for many that lead to achieving longer-term goals.”