Contestants in the Miss and Mr. Indian OU pageant will celebrate their American Indian heritage Saturday in talent shows highlighting contestants’ unique tribes.

The pageant will consist of an opening greeting in the contestants’ native language, a talent show, personal interviews with the judges and a two- to three-minute speech about their goals if selected as Miss Indian and Mr. India, said Millie Bigler, current Miss Indian OU and mechanical engineering sophomore.

This year’s four pageant contestants have been working to prepare their traditional outfits and talent performances since February, Bigler said.

The three contestants for Miss Indian OU include Ashlyn Choate, Taylor Marlow and Samantha Backman. David Colbert is the lone contestant for Mr. Indian OU.

“The American Indian Student Association is excited to get both titles,” Still said.

The requirements for pageant participation include being full-time OU student in good academic standing, proof of a degree of American Indian blood, never having been married, not having children, a cumulative grade-point average of 2.50 and an essay about themselves and their tribe, Still said.

Awards for best traditional talent performance, best essay and Mr. and Miss Indian OU will be presented at the pageant, said Kellie Brown, affairs chair for the American Indian Student Association.

“I am very excited about it this year because in the past years, there were only about two contestants, and this year there are three contestants running for Miss Indian OU along with the contestant for Mr. Indian OU,” Brown said.

The pageant starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the Oklahoma Memorial Union’s Meacham Auditorium with a reception in the Union’s Beaird Lounge, Still said. Attendance is free for the public.

Pageant winners will be announced that evening, but they will officially take reign at the Spring Contest Powwow on April 16 at Lloyd Noble Center.