Nations Best™ Next Top Model is…Chatnie Herne

In its fourth year, the Nations Best ™ Next Top Model competition and fashion show has become an event incomparable to any other modeling show in the region past or present. The glamorous event, which was held Saturday evening in Akwesasne, has grown into a showcase of natural Native American beauty combined with the high-fashion abilities of the show’s designers, hairstylists and makeup artists.

Sixteen Native women representing five different First Nations communities walked the runway at Jacobs Tobacco Company with more than 1,000 people watching them do so. The women – who enter the competition without any modeling background - had five runs in total each with a different wardrobe theme: Cocktail, traditional, designer’s challenge featuring international themes, fur, and the final Nations Best™ t-shirt run. By the end of the evening, two contestants would be named runner-ups and one model would be awarded a 1-year modeling contract with Angie’s Modeling in Ottawa.

Jacobs Tobacco Company is the parent company of the Nations Best™ cigarette label. JTC staff organizes the fashion show and each year it has grown, surpassing expectations of the audience members. Entertainment acts and special performances are incorporated to make the event a real evening of creative entertainment.

“I thought it was very exciting and classy,” said community member Johanne Jackson who was attending for the third year. “The models were beautiful. Laura (Thompson) did an excellent job as emcee.”

Jackson said her favorite part of the show was an artistic performance coordinated by Tara Tarbell, owner of the newly opened Indigenous Spa. The theatrical-type segment featured past winners and finalists of the Nations Best Next Top Model competition: Teioswathe Cook (the first year’s winner), Kimmy Terrance, Wawa Standing, Cheyenne Lazore and Steevi King. The costumes and representation of “Earth-Wind-Fire-Water-Power” amazed the audience. Tarbell’s children and nephews participated as well.

Other performers during the show included Grammy-winning Oneida singer and songwriter Joanne Shenandoah and dance troupes from both the Rakit City Dance Company and All That Jazz.

After hours of entertainment, the 16 models from Akwesasne, Kahnawake, Kahnesatake, Six Nations and the Ojibway Nation walked the runway for their final time and waited backstage for the Angie’s Modeling judges to announce the winner and runners-up.

“Backstage waiting for the winners to be called was the most anxious I had been the entire night!” said 21-year-old Chatnie Herne from Akwesasne. “All the girls were just standing there quiet and waiting.”

The first name to be called was the 2nd runner up – Karina White. She came out on stage smiling ear-to-ear to accept her roses.

The next name called, the 1st runner up, was Jhazmayn Jacobs. When she came out from backstage she wiped tears away and looked in happy disbelief at her family members in the audience.

Finally, it was time for the winner to be announced. The judges said that they were looking for someone who owned the stage and exhibited confidence with their personality.

“As soon as I heard the drum roll I actually covered my ears!” said Herne. “At that moment doubt started to cross my mind. I began to think ‘Well I could have done more, maybe I shouldn’t have smiled so much.”

However, her doubts were unwarranted and the audience cheered as the judge said “Chatnie Herne” into the microphone.

The tiny 5’1” tall winner from Akwesasne came bouncing out on stage displaying all her charismatic energy that the judges had noticed.

Herne later admitted that she was worried her height – far from the 5’10 that’s said to be a modeling average – might kill her chances at winning.

“I was a little worried that the judges were looking for a runway model and I know that I am too short to be in that area of modeling,” she said.

However, she has aspired to be a model for her entire life and said she forced her mother to bring her to one audition after another even though she was usually too young for the role. Herne is the daughter of Sharon Jacobs Nolan and Edward Herne.

After hearing her name called, she was relieved and excited. She said later that she feels her personality – smiling a lot and blowing kisses – helped her to win. On stage she looked to be having the time of her life.

“I perform well under pressure so I believe that helped me not to look nervous onstage because I really was shaking!” she said. “When I met the judges backstage I really tried to speak clear and stay confident.”

While not everyone could be a winner, the women in the show had months of fun with photo shoots, rehearsals and planning together that helped a camaraderie build among them.

“I had fun with all of them!” said runner-up White. “We supported each other and helped each other as if the show never required a winner. It was the best thing by far my life could throw.”

Ironically, the show’s three finalists - Herne, White and Jacobs - were also placed together backstage before the show. White said when the professional makeup artists got backed up and “looked like they had their hands full” Herne volunteered to do White and Jacobs’ makeup along with her own. In the end the three faces Herne beautified were also the three on stage.

Calendars featuring all the models in the show are being sold by JTC. The organizers have also begun making plans for next year’s search for the Nations Best™ Next Top Model.

(Please see Page 24 for an additional article on the show’s designer element.)

2010 Models

Chelsea Francis-Akwesasne

Dakota Thompson-Akwesasne

Ivy Ashkewe-Ogibway Nation

Haylee Jacco-Akwesasne

Keshia Thompson-Akwesasne

Tesha Sunday-Akwesasne

Chatnie Herne-Akwesasne

Tsionatiio Laughing-Akwesasne

Karina White-Akwesasne

Jhazmayn Jacobs-Akwesasne

Kaylynn Thompson-Akwesasne

Michelle Thompson-Akwesasne

Cheyenne Anderson-Akwesasne

Steevi Bomberry-Six Nations

Caralee Montour-Kahnawake

Kayla Lazore-Kahnesatake

2010 Behind the Scenes Crew

Angie Bero

Ashley Tarbell

Austin Swamp

Brenda Thompson

Carlene Cree

Cody Gibson

Denise Thompson

Donna Arquette

Jori Rourke

Laura Thompson

Lauren Cree

Leah Barnes

Marcy McDonald

Moses White

Phil Cook

Reannon Day

Sandi Barnes

Shari Adams

Tanner Thompson

Tara Lazore

Tara Tarbell

Tashawna Francis

Teneya Mitchell

Tessa Cook

Tiffany Cree

Tisha Thompson

Toni Oakes

Vanna White