Tania Niwa’s mini-guide shows how to move between cultures without losing your identity. Through listening, storytelling, grounding, and authentic leadership, she bridges worlds while staying deeply connected to her Māori roots. This is her story. 💛
Moving between cultures can feel like dancing on a tightrope: sometimes fun and thrilling, sometimes straight out wobbly and unsettling. My new guest had to learn the importance of holding fast to your roots, even as you stretch into new spaces and come out standing tall at the other end. 🌀✨
📸 Meet Tania Niwa, an incredible wāhine Māori photographer who built a thriving business in Australia. Then followed the quiet call of home all the way to Taranaki while living the reality of having a foot in each country.
Through her journey, Tania has learned how to move between cultures without losing her identity, and how to lead with authenticity no matter where she stands.
Based on our kōrero, these are the tips she has to share with us.
🌏 Tania’s mini-guide on how to move between cultures without losing your identity
Tania Niwa knows the challenges of moving between two cultures all too well.
From her early career in Sydney to returning home to Aotearoa, she’s learned how to connect with a different culture while staying firmly rooted in her own identity.
Listening before leaping 👂✨
Tania starts off with the obvious. (At least it should be): curiosity creates bridges. Listen first. Before you make a move, notice the subtle ways people connect, the rituals, and even the unspoken rules.
Staying true while connecting 💛
One of the hardest lessons Tania learned was that you don’t have to please everyone. Standing up for what you believe may ruffle feathers, but it preserves authenticity. This is central to how to move between cultures without losing your identity.
“I realised that if I take a stand on certain things, not everyone will like me. And that’s okay.”
Storytelling as a cultural bridge 📖🌉
For Tania, storytelling is the ultimate connector. She captures the landscapes, rivers, and people of Taranaki Maunga, sharing these narratives with both her own community and the wider world. Stories honour her heritage while opening space for cross-cultural understanding.
“It’s about helping tell the narratives of our land, rivers, and people. Leadership shows up in storytelling.”
Grounding & reflecting 🌿💫
Regular reflection keeps Tania centred. Connecting with ancestral guidance and the whenua help her navigate different cultural spaces without losing herself.
“When I feel overwhelmed, I focus on living in the highest frequencies of Taranaki Maunga. It’s like hitting the reset button.”
Building a supportive crew 🤝💬
Tania surrounds herself with mentors, peers, and her “Shine Buddies.” Together, they explore challenges, reflect on growth, and support each other in following their life purpose. This network makes it easier to traverse cultures while staying authentic.
Leading with authenticity 👑📷
Leadership for Tania isn’t just about speaking from a stage. It’s how you show up. Through her photography, advocacy, and storytelling, she demonstrates integrity and cultural respect. People respond to authenticity far more than authority.
“Leadership shows up when you provide space for stories to be told.”
Celebrating common ground 🌏✨
Finding shared values between cultures has been key. Tania highlights similarities in respect, family, and community, creating connections that feel genuine and mutually enriching.
Rooted in heritage 🌊🌿
Even as she engages with diverse worlds, Tania never loses touch with her roots. Her family, iwi, and ancestral teachings are her compass. This balance is the essence of how to move between cultures without losing your identity.
Creating safe spaces 🛡️💛
Whether photographing families or collaborating with iwi, Tania prioritises safety and trust. People open up when they feel seen and respected, allowing authentic cultural exchange.
Trusting the see-ers 💫
Finally, Tania emphasises ancestral guidance. Whenever a culturally sensitive decision needs to be made, she consults with the elders.
✨ Blending past & future
Interestingly, it’s Tania’s time overseas that prepared her for what is her life’s purpose. As time went on, every trip home made the pull of Taranaki Maunga stronger.
These days, Tania’s focus is firmly on Aotearoa. Here, her camera turns toward stories of whakapapa, whenua, and wāhine Māori. Projects like the Kōwhai Series, a stunning portrait series honouring trailblazing Māori women in Taranaki, opened many doors, even with overseas indigenous communities.
But then life was about to step it up.
One day while admiring her Maunga out loud, her companion looked at her and said: “He wants your attention.”
That moment landed. It was purpose knocking. 🏡 It led to her biggest project yet: telling the stories of the whenua and the waters of Taranaki: the rivers, the land, the coast, the mountain, and the Moana.
“I wanted to capture the rivers that run off Taranaki Maunga from the air, in a helicopter.”
Supported by iwi and community leaders, that vision is now unfolding.
It’s her legacy.
“My leadership shows up in my imagery. I’m a voice for our people and for stories that need to be told.”
🌄 Going Full Circle
Tania’s story is living proof that you can build something extraordinary away from home which eventually can lead to something even richer back home. It’s not about choosing between worlds. It’s about feeling grounded in your own identity, so you can tap from that superpower. 🦋
Contact Information and Social Media
🌐 Website: tanianiwa.com
📷 Instagram: www.instagram.com/tania_niwa_photographer
📱 Facebook: www.facebook.com/niwaphotography
