Speaking at the Miss World 2026 pageant Head to Head Challenge in Vietnam over the weekend, Henry-Anguna recounted the loss of her father, whose desire to return home to the Cook Islands for his final days highlighted the deep connection many feel to their roots.

Henry-Anguna said, “About two years ago, my family of three decided to travel overseas to New Zealand to receive better medical care for my father’s heart condition. But because of this move, my father was unhappy. He wanted to be back home in our little paradise.

“He wanted to be home in his culture, his roots, his family and his brains. But because of this, we made another risky decision to move back home, to move back to the Cook Islands where then my father passed away knowing he was back home. Surrounded by his people and his culture.”
She shared, “My father always believed in me. He always saw strength in me that I never could see in myself. He believed in me.”

She said her father’s belief in her inspired her to empower other young women to find strength and pride in their heritage.

“It also helped me recognise how many other young women simply needed someone else to help them understand who they are and where they belong to and how to see that they must be grounded in their culture and their identity.”

This led to the Ei Katu project where Henry-Anguna trains with younger girls of her community teaching them the rhythm of the beats, the swaying of their hips and understanding Cook Islands culture.

“That’s something I’m very passionate about. Seeing the younger generation so happy in what we do, happy of being grounded in our culture makes me, as an individual, feel so happy knowing that my culture is alive that our identity is strong and that I, as a proud Cook Islander can gladly say that our traditions and our culture is alive today. And I am proof.”
She shared that back home in the Cook Islands, she hoped to inspire the younger generation to know that there’s a sense of belonging that there’s a sense of identity.

Henry-Anguna also addressed the pressing issue of depopulation, noting that around 85% of Cook Islanders now live abroad in search of better healthcare, education, and opportunities. She warned that this trend threatens the future of the nation’s culture and traditions, but emphasised that solutions exist through community action and cultural pride.