Although she was bullied about her appearance while growing up, 21-year-old Keisha DeBungie always had an interest in beauty and fashion, leading to her candidacy with Miss Indigenous Canada. Despite her anxiety about public speaking at the upcoming event and her existing educational commitments, she finds reassurance in the supportive nature of the pageant and through her community of supporters.
“When I was younger, I was bullied for my looks,” said Keisha, “they always said my forehead was too big, [and] my teeth were too far apart,” adding, “We’re all young at heart. So, everyone is beautiful.”
“There was a lot of people my age, when I was younger, in the community that would bully me,” said Keisha, “but my mom always taught me to rise above it and to believe in myself … she made me very strong.”
Keisha’s mother Andrea DeBungie echoed her sentiment.
People would make fun of her,” she said. “We’ve had these conversations, you know, about pushing through all of that, … being better. Like, I was, I’m a single mom. I’ve been a single mom. I’ve raised Keisha by myself. So I was both mom, dad … everything for her.”
“I didn’t want her to think that she was better than anybody, but just for her to be that better person and to do better … I know Keisha’s potential.”
Keisha’s experiences with bullying led her to understand the beauty within.
“There’s a lot of people who are like, ‘You’re so pretty! You’re so pretty!’ I’m like, ‘Thank you, but I never take anyone else’s opinion to heart. I know I’m beautiful.’ But, just when I was younger, when I was being bullied and people were telling me otherwise, I just tried to create my own image of what I think of myself,” said Keisha, “I think that’s most important to me.”
Keisha also took a workshop on modelling in her youth because of her interest in anything related to beauty.
“There was a modelling workshop, and they did a little photo shoot and how to model walk,” said Keisha, “it was for Indigenous youth.”
“So I did that, and I rocked it, and it was really fun.”
Building on her success in the workshop, Keisha asked her mom to do photoshoots with her.
“Every year, I would ask my mom to go and take pictures of me,” said Keisha, “I’ve always just been into that kind of stuff.”
According to Andrea, she didn’t push beauty and makeup on her, it was always because Keisha found interest in them.
“This was completely her doing,” said Andrea. “Whatever she wanted to do, I was right behind her.”
“She wasn’t like my other daughter. My other daughter will get dirty. She can’t keep herself clean, whereas Keisha, she just refused to get dirty … she didn’t like being in the mud. She didn’t play hockey … she wasn’t in swimming. She just wanted to do all the girly stuff.”
Because of her interest in beauty and modelling, Keisha’s auntie suggested she apply to the Miss Indigenous Canada pageant.
“My auntie, she saw the link, and then said, like, ‘Miss Indigenous 2025 pageant application!?’ And she was like, ‘Oh my god, like, you would do so well in this!’”
“So, she encouraged me to embrace my culture and pursue my dreams of being in a pageant.”
While she adores beauty and fashion, she expresses some trepidation about the public speaking involved in the Miss Indigenous Canada 2025 Pageant.
“The reason why I kind of got scared or overwhelmed for the project is just because … of the public speaking.”
“Honestly, I don’t like public speaking. I feel like I always sound like I’m about to cry,” said Keisha. “Yes, it’s scary. But, [I] think of the impact and the change it can have.”
Keisha wants to push herself to do this and get out of her comfort zone, hopefully encouraging others to do things they might be afraid of.
“I think it’s a good opportunity to show people, like, it’s okay to do something that you’re scared of.”
Keisha describes her initial surprise in being picked as a candidate for Miss Indigenous Canada even though she hasn’t been in a pageant until now.
“I got picked … out of how many applicants,” said Keisha. “I’ve never been in a pageant before, like, maybe some of these girls have been.”
But, Keisha feels reassured by the structure of this pageant.
“The thing about this project that gives me more reassurance, is that it’s like a workshop, but we’ll be doing a lot of cultural activities and getting to know the girls and everyone will be friendly and supportive,” said Keisha. “It’s not a scary opportunity at all.”
It may not be a scary opportunity, But, Keisha now has the responsibility of engaging with an audience of about 600 followers on Facebook.
I also have a ton of support,” said Keisha, “not even knowing these girls yet … I have almost 600 followers.”
Moreover, Keisha wants people to know she isn’t just resilient, but caring.
“It hurts my heart when people think I’m not nice, because I will be the kindest person ever, and I think that’s really how indigenous people are,” said Keisha. “We’re really caring, very nice, and, you know, just, also resilient people. Indigenous people have been through a lot and we’re still healing.”
Keisha’s caring and compassionate nature is what she wants to emphasize, not her looks.
“’I’m very excited to share and be a part of change,” said Keisha. “I think that’s the most important part of the project … I’m not gonna lie to you my boyfriend was like, ‘Oh, you’re a shoe-in you’re so pretty.’ And like, the pageant is not about just being pretty. It’s about my core values and my beliefs and what I can do to help people.”
Furthermore, Andrea believes Keisha has the qualities the Miss Indigenous Canada 2025 pageant is looking for.
“I think Keisha is a very beautiful person on the inside as well as [the] outside,” said Andrea. “I think she has all of those qualities, and I know that she’s … she’s a very, very strong-minded individual.”
“She’s so kind, and she’s, you know, she’s very disciplined,” said Andrea, “Whenever there’s any obstacles in her way, you know, she’s able to process, and she’s able to … I guess, manage that.”
“I am definitely impressed and she is an amazing person.”
For Keisha, this pageant isn’t about praising her looks, it’s about who she is and what she stands for.
Keisha said, “I don’t care if I’m pretty or not. It’s about who I am as a person.”
