Hi! I'm Manaia. ♡

...Well, that's the short version.

My full name is Te Manu Anahera Te Waimarama, which means "the angel bird by the clear water" in te reo Māori.

It's a name I absolutely adore, which is why you'll still find it in my Instagram bio and across this website. I always knew I wanted to carry it with me throughout my career.

So... why Manaia?

Honestly?

Because my full name wouldn't fit on my modelling comp cards. LOL

What a glamorous problem to have, right?

Here's the part that makes me smile...

Manaia was actually the name my mum originally wanted to give me before I was born.

It means Guardian and is also the name of a mountain in Whangārei, New Zealand.

I like to think both names found me exactly when they were supposed to.

I'm 25, a May Gemini, born with approximately seventeen different dreams, thirty seven different moods and enough curiosity to keep life interesting.

For years, I thought there was something wrong with me because I was always changing.

Now I realise changing is exactly what I'm meant to do.

I grew up in Geelong, Victoria, in a home affected by domestic violence. Those experiences shaped a lot of who I became, and for many years I struggled with my mental health while trying to untangle survival from identity.

These days, my biggest passion project is myself.

I'm learning to protect my peace.

To heal.

To laugh louder.

To reconnect with my inner child.

To stop apologising for taking up space.

To become someone younger me would feel safe with.

Fashion has always been part of that journey. My clothes have always been an extension of how I'm feeling.

Yes... I was a Bratz girl. Obviously.

Looking back, they probably taught me confidence before anyone else did. They showed me that fashion wasn't just about looking good, it was about telling the world who you were.

That fascination has never left me.

I've always romanticised modelling because I genuinely believe it's one of the most beautiful art forms. The human body can communicate joy, grief, softness, strength and vulnerability without saying a single word.

That's magic.

Speaking of magic...

One of the biggest gifts I've given myself has been reconnecting with my spirituality.

I've always been intuitive, but for a long time I ignored it.

Now I lean into it. I notice the signs.

I trust the nudges that don't always make logical sense.

I talk to my angels.

And the more I trust the universe, the more it feels like she's giving me a BIGGG PHATT hug right back. 

Life is gently conspiring in my favour but not because everything suddenly became easy, but because I finally stopped fighting where I was being guided.

I've always felt like I was meant for more.

Not more fame, not more followers.

Just... More life. More love. More creativity. More connection. More moments that make you look up at the sky and quietly whisper, "Thank you."

If you've found your way here, I hope you leave feeling like you've met a friend. I hope you're reminded that healing doesn't have to make you hard.

That dreaming isn't naïve. 

That you're allowed to change your mind.

And that sometimes, the most beautiful version of yourself is the one you've been becoming all along.

So, whether you meet me as Manaia or Te Manu, you're meeting the same heart. One name tells the story of where I come from, the other reminds me of where I'm going.

And it'll ALWAYS translate to, THAT GIRL ;) XOXO 

Lavagirl, 2005