Queens of the Corn Islands

Traditionally, on 28 August, as part of the celebrations commemorating the Emancipation from Slavery, the titles of Miss Corn Island and Miss Coco are awarded. According to some historians, this election was once held on 27 August, when the island’s beauty queen was chosen through a ribbon race rather than by a formal beauty pageant, as is customary today.

Several locals affirm that the election of Miss Corn Island has been taking place since long before the 1980s; however, there are currently no written records to substantiate this claim.

In 2014, Alvin “Chinee” Siu published a book entitled For the Glory of the Corn Islands, in which he included a brief narrative alongside the names of all the Miss Corn Island and Miss Coco titleholders elected from 1980 onwards. That year marked the point when the newly established Sandinista Government assumed responsibility for organising the celebration, a role that had previously been overseen by the church since 1852.

Below are the names listed in Chinee Siu’s book (covering 1980 to 2014), followed by additional queens documented by The Corn Islands Virtual Library team from 2014 to the present day.