Wh¯anau wars give Kaysha an edge
Competition is fierce among Kaysha Whakarau’s nine siblings.
Anything from who’s best dressed to who has the most food on their plate is fought over.
‘‘I love my family but we’re very competitive,’’ Whakarau says.
She’s hoping the competitive spirit she grew up with will stand her in good stead on Survivor NZ. Whakarau, it’s fair to say, is really going for it.
‘‘I want to be that sole survivor. If people think I’m arrogant, that’s fine by me as long as I’ve got that title,’’ she says.
Social worker Whakarau frequently drives from Wellington to the family home in Shannon, near Levin, to see her family.
The four youngest of her nine siblings (at 24, Whakarau is the oldest) are wha¯ ngai kids, adopted from within her wider family.
That meant social workers were frequent guests at the family home. Whakarau says their presence inspired her own career choice.
‘‘While they might have done an OK job, I thought I could do better.’’
Whakarau wants to help families and people with mental health issues.
She’s currently doing her masters while working full time.
‘‘It’s hard work and there’s days where I’m just physically and mentally drained, but when you’re making a difference it’s the best feeling,’’ she says.
Whakarau hopes the skills she’s developed in managing tricky social situations at work might give her the edge over the other Survivor competitors.
But she’s not looking forward to tangled hair and stinky breath while surviving in the bush. And she’s a little worried about how the nation might perceive her.
‘‘I want to be perceived well, and I want New Zealand to know I’m a cool person, I am a good person,’’ Whakarau says.
‘‘I’ve got a bold personality, so I think people would know that I’m being fake, so I’m just going to have to be cut-throat and own it.’’