Launching at Brisbane Powerhouse as part of Melt Festival in October, 'Mr First Nation' is Australia’s first dedicated Blak drag king pageant, bringing seven finalists together for cultural storytelling, live performance, elaborate costumes and, presumably, a healthy amount of chaos.
For Co-Founder and Director Ben Graetz, it’s the natural next step after nearly a decade of 'Miss First Nation'.
“We just thought, you know what? It’s time to really showcase our incredible drag king artists, First Nations drag king artists in Australia,” Graetz tells Rolling Stone Australia.
'Miss First Nation' began in 2017 as something Graetz and Co-Founder Marzi Panne weren’t even sure would work. Nearly a decade later, they’ve staged seven pageants, including an international edition in Taiwan and 'Supreme Queen', an all-stars edition at Sydney WorldPride in 2023.
But while drag queens have long dominated the spotlight, Graetz says Blak drag kings deserve their own platform.
“Drag kings in our Blak community have been around for a very, very long time,” he says. “But I think unfortunately, drag queens do overshadow.”
'Mr First Nation' aims to change that, giving Blak drag kings, including cis women and trans performers, space to develop their characters, showcase their work and connect with one another.
The idea was also shaped by last year’s 'Miss First Nation' winner, Kitty Obsidian, who is trans and identifies as he/they. It prompted the team to think about how the pageant could continue evolving.
“We thought, okay, well, let’s do a Mr First Nation because we’ve never done one,” Graetz says. “We just wanted to make sure that we’re giving the drag kings and particularly our Blak drag kings in this country a platform and visibility.”
The competition begins with Best National Costume, where contestants interpret their home, culture, community and personal journeys through their looks. Then comes Mr Talent, with one major rule: no drag and no lip-syncing.
Instead, contestants can sing, dance, perform comedy, tell stories, paint, roller skate or do whatever they can dream up to command a crowd.
“A lot of artists these days, you’ve got to wear a lot of hats,” Graetz says. “You’ve got to be able to entertain in multiple different ways.”
The pageant is also designed to feel less like a cutthroat competition and more like a community. Contestants become part of the wider 'Miss First Nation' and 'Mr First Nation' alumni, which Graetz describes as “one big, big family”.
Creating a safe and supportive environment has been central to the pageant since its beginning, with the team helping performers at every level, from those who have been doing drag for less than a year to seasoned artists.
And while there’s plenty of cultural significance behind 'Mr First Nation', Graetz is keen to keep the camp intact.
“We’re asking for all of that camp. We’re asking for all of that emotion. We’re asking for all of that passion,” he says. “Because that’s what makes a great drag artist.”
One of the most exciting parts of creating the inaugural pageant has been discovering just how many Blak drag kings are already out there. Graetz expected a handful. Instead, he found performers he’d never met before.
“That was really surprising, and something that I’m really looking forward to and celebrating.”
If 'Miss First Nation'’s history is anything to go by, giving those artists a stage could have a much bigger impact than crowning one winner.
What began in 2017 as a pageant Graetz thought might happen once has grown into a national platform. Now, 'Mr First Nation' gets its own crown.
“I hope that there’s going to be more visibility,” Graetz says. “It’s going to create conversations, and it’s going to create more people being, I think, curious and interested in Blak drag kings.”
The first king will be crowned at Brisbane Powerhouse on 23 October. After that, the real question is how many more are waiting in the wings.
Mr First Nation is on at Brisbane Powerhouse 21-23 October.
