Mrs. Universe pageant

A First Nations woman from Alberta made history this weekend, winning the Mrs. Universe pageant and becoming the first Canadian to do so.

Via Instagram

Ashley Burnham (née Callingbull) is from the Enoch Cree First Nation in Alberta. She’s an actor and model, and has represented Canada at the Miss Universe pageant in the past (Mrs. Universe is open to women who are married).

“I'm so proud to say I am now the new @mrsuniverse2015 !!! I am the first First Nations woman to win this title!” Burnham wrote on Instagram. “I am also the first Canadian Delegate to win as well!! Sooooooo happy right now!”

Burnham competed for Canada at the pageant held in Minsk, Belarus this Saturday. She also performed a traditional dance and wore clothing from a First Nations designer during the competition.

Via Instagram

The Mrs. Universe pageant isn't a typical beauty pageant — contestants aren't judged on swimsuits and their bodies, but on things like charity work. According to the National Post, this year's competition included extensive discussions and interviews on domestic violence. 

And Burnham is no stranger to hardship. She was beaten and raped when she was younger, and had an unhappy childhood. 

"This was the perfect pageant for me to be in,” she later said. "I've lived through it and can use [my experience] to help other people.”

After moving away from Enoch and then moving back as a teenager, she rediscovered her Cree culture, and that changed everything. 

"I think my culture saved me,” Burnham said.

"Fear had held me back for so long. I needed to find myself… and I did.”