Awa is a beautiful, passionate woman who has come to the city to escape what she feels is a limited future. Awa's father was a Pakeha who left her Maori mother with two small children, Awa and Manaaki. Her mother died when the children were very young and the children grew up on the marae of The Prophet, a religious leader. She escaped and has become the star of a film, Pania of the Reef. Awa is a survivor, hard-headed and ambitious. She can play any role she needs to in order to get what she wants.
Here's what Shavaughn has to say about Awa:
"Awa is a very strong-willed woman. On the face of it, she's out for herself and what she wants in life. But when it comes to her brother Manaaki, who she's raised since they were little, you do see another side to her - that she is caring and she does have feelings. She's a Maori woman living in Auckland in a very white world and she's just trying to make the most of it. And when she sees an opportunity, she goes for it. I've learned to admire that in her. At first I thought she was a bit of a hussy, but then I realised she's absolutely about survival - she's searching for security and for her little brother.
In the scene I auditioned, the script said my character is wearing a peignoir so I had to look that up. It turned out that I had something similar at home that I bought once thinking it was fabulous and I've never had an opportunity to wear it. I wore it to the audition and hopefully it helped them to see me in the part. My costumes in this show are amazing."
