Two contestants at the Miss Universe Canada pageant have apologised after they wore attire representing indigenous culture.

The incident happened during the national costume segment, when one contestant wore a fur dress and boots and another a feathered headdress.

“If any costume caused offence, hurt, or misunderstanding, please know that it was never our intention,” the pageant said in a statement.

Former winner Ashley Callingbull, a Plains Cree woman from the Enoch Cree Nation, had interrupted another part of the pageant she was co-presenting to address the issue, saying: “It’s 2026, we should know better.”

“There was cultural appropriation that was done toward indigenous people,” Callingbull said, clarifying that she was not there when the costumes were worn but had later seen it on a video.

One of the costumes, worn by contestant Karisa Haverkamp, featured a feather headdress, an item traditionally worn by highly respected Indigenous leaders in North America.

She also had a red handprint painted on her face – a symbol representing solidarity with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) movement.

“I acknowledge and recognise that my outfit for the national costume caused hurt and offence to people in the indigenous community,” Haverkamp wrote in an Instagram post. “I appreciate what I have learned from this experience.”

The other contestant, Jasleen Kaily, wore a costume with the theme “Arctic Beauty”, which featured an all-fur dress and boots, known as mukluks, and two braids. Hair braiding can have deep cultural meaning for First Nations people.

Kaily also apologised, saying: “My intention was never to disrespect or misrepresent indigenous culture” but rather to “recognise and celebrate one of the First Peoples of Canada”.

According to the Miss Universe Canada website, the national costume segment is “a celebration of Canadian culture and heritage, combined with creativity”, according to the Miss Universe Canada website.

“Each delegate must showcase a unique costume, dress, or outfit inspired by Canada’s traditions, symbols, and history” it states.

It has now said it will introduce a “comprehensive costume guide” that will “establish clear guidelines and standards for all future pageant cycles to ensure every presentation is thoughtful and respectful”.

Pageant director Sonny Borrelli said he has also invited Callingbull, who is the first First Nations woman to win the competition, to be the costume segment’s official liaison moving forward.

He was co-presenting with Callingbull during Saturday’s final, when she said the organisation’s statement lacked a direct apology and invited him to address the issue. He said Miss Universe Canada takes “full responsibility” for the error.

“We will learn from it, we will make it better, we will make it right,” he said,

Callingbull also thanked the pageant’s organisers for being receptive when she reached out with concerns over the costume.

“A part of reconciliation is that we educate and learn and understand and move on from these things in a good way,” she said, adding: “We’re going to make sure that everyone is going to be respected and honoured properly.”

Callingbull also spoke to CBC Indigenous about her reaction to seeing the costumes.

“This cannot be real. I just couldn’t get over that this was happening,” she said. “Who allowed this on stage? Who approved this?”

“Anything traditional or sacred should not be allowed. I was very, very upset.”

It is not the first time the Miss Universe Canada competition has been criticised for cultural appropriation.

In 2015, the organisation said there had been a “misunderstanding” regarding entrant Paola Nunuz Valdez, who wore a totem pole costume during the national costume segment.

Both she and the organisation said it had been meant to refer to her Dominican heritage.

Callingbull said at the time that she had recommended Miss Universe Canada consider hiring a cultural consultant. (BBC)

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