A solo mum of five living in emergency housing has been named as Miss Rotorua 2023.
Pare Rangirangi told Breakfast she "can't even express" her excitement about winning.
"It was so huge because I did it for me and my babies and my whānau and the colour represented my whānau as well.
"I was just so proud of them. I could hear them the whole way through. I actually couldn't hear myself singing because the crowd was so loud when I did my talent section."
Rangirangi said it was an "overwhelming and beautiful experience".
She said her kids were incredibly proud of her and of each other for going through the journey together.
"Just last night me and my older two babies went to celebrate by having dinner. The weekend was really overwhelming and lots of messages of love were flooding my pms [private messages], and my emails and my texts.
"I had to turn it off for a moment and just be present with my family."
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