Melbourne, AUSTRALIA — When Miss Samoa Victoria shaved her head on the weekend, it was a cultural sacrifice as well as a personal one.

Hair is considered tapu, or sacred, in many parts of the Pacific. In Polynesian culture, hair is believed to hold the sacred power of mana, or spiritual energy.

But Tiafau Zahriya Leaoasoma chose to lose her locks to raise awareness of breast cancer — which claimed the life of her mum when she was just four years old.

"I just kept looking to the sky and staring at my mum's face in the sky, and I kept thinking I get to choose to shave my hair off, but you didn't have a choice," she said.

Ms Leaoasoma also stressed the importance, especially for people in the Pasifika community, to get regular check-ups.

"My mum passed away when she was 26 and that's very young, and so it's important for all ages but especially young girls to get checked too," she said.

On Saturday, members of the community took turns cutting Ms Leaoasoma's hair as a symbolic gesture in support of the event, before the hairdresser shaved it all off.

Tiafau Zahriya Leaoasoma , the reigning Miss Samoa Victoria, shortly before her haircut. [courtesy photo]

She said shaving her head was empowering, and it felt "really good to be bald".

"It was really emotional to have everyone come and cut a piece of my hair and I felt so emotional and so overwhelmed, but so connected to my mum in the moment," she said.

"I've just been so super blessed to have the community behind me and all the small businesses in the community who have really stepped up and offered their services and time to raise funds for this cause."

Ms Leaoasoma has raised about $13,000 from the Pasifika community for the National Breast Cancer Foundation — more than double her $5,000 fundraising goal.

She said the community got behind her because they understood the cultural significance involved in cutting one's hair. 

"In the Pacific islands, our hair is our crown and glory and we are taught that our hair is sacred and from our ancestors going back years and years," she said.

"My grandma is very Samoan and was very strict about my hair growing up and I always had to leave it long and thick.

"I wasn't allowed to cut it — I always had to put it up in a bun or in plaits."

Her grandmother, Vagana Tauvasa Leaoa, also shaved her head on the weekend in support of her granddaughter and in memory of her daughter.

Read more at Pacific Beat