Aotearoa’s own Mr Bear, Tia Craig Walters — affectionately known as TiaBear — has returned home after representing Australasia at the Mr Bear International pageant in Thailand, where he placed in the top 10.
After being crowned Mr Bear Australasia 2024 during Pride Month in June, Walters secured his place at the global event in Bangkok, which ran earlier this month.
Representing his iwi, Ngāpuhi, Walters flew to Bangkok on April 10 and took part in a week-long series of activities including rehearsals, photo shoots, and social media challenges, all leading up to the grand finale on April 13.
“Competing at Mr Bear International was an amazing experience, albeit very full-on,” Walters told Stuff.
Foam Parties, Fashion and Cultural Pride
The competition saw contestants judged across a range of categories, including swimwear, cultural wear, sportswear, and nightwear. For the nightwear round, Walters sported a tuxedo, while the swimwear component took place at a high-energy rooftop foam party.
“The swimwear part of the competition was a whole other level. We were on a rooftop foam party and danced on stage,” he said.
“They also had a drone flying around for an aerial photo shoot on a helipad — that was such a fun thing to do.”
The most challenging section for Walters was the cultural wear category, which required navigating customs restrictions when selecting his outfit. He wore a custom-made korowai, gifted to him by his partner and two stepsons.
“The korowai was designed in the Bear flag colours of black, white, brown, orange, yellow and gold, which was beautiful,” Walters said.
To complete the look, he also wore his taonga — a bone carving — as well as mako shark earrings and a skirt made from a Hawaiiki Pēpi blanket.
A Powerful Message of Representation
Although the crown ultimately went to Michael Paul Olle, who represented South Africa, Walters left Thailand feeling fulfilled and proud.
“The moment that stood out for me was the final day, being able to walk out in my korowai and my skirt. That was the main highlight,” he said.
“It was also meeting all the other contestants, creating bonds with them, and lifetime friendships.”
More than just a competition, Walters sees his journey as a platform for advocacy and representation.
“What I did during this pageant wasn’t just for myself. It was for everybody back at home — for Māori, for the Pacific, and for people of colour communities to go out, be confident, love yourself, and be true to who you are.
