Miraka Davies

Miraka Davies (Ngātiwai, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou) is a force of nature, bringing energy to every room she walks into. A proud wahine Māori, Miraka is an international keynote speaker, MC, panellist, workshop facilitator, media commentator, and consultant.

About Miraka

At aged 38, Miraka walked away from her family’s five-generation commitment to a conservative Christian religion and started forging her own path, beginning a journey back to both her tūpuna and forward into her own joy. Her talent for connecting with every person in the room comes from many hard-won life lessons, which she shares to inspire audiences around Aotearoa.

With an exceptional EQ, she can read a room and deliver what the audience needs. Her specialist topics focus on stepping into power—after spending much of her adult life unlearning and relearning how to find her voice—and Te Ao Māori, which she demystifies with aroha and encouragement. Miraka’s ability to create a sense of āhurutanga (a safe space) is what stands out during her keynote and MC roles.

Topics & Expertise

• Stepping into personal and professional power
• Unlearning and reclaiming voice
• Te Ao Māori (the Māori world) for non-Māori audiences
• Creating safe, inclusive spaces (āhurutanga)
• Vulnerability and authenticity in leadership

Credentials

• Master of Arts in Creative Writing, Brigham Young University (USA)
• Author of Lessons in Badassery (2022) and Engaging with Māori for Success in Business (2018)
• Formerly self-published Good Shit I’ve Learned, later developed with a New York editorial house

Personal Journey

Miraka openly shares her lived experiences, including:

• Leaving a five-generation conservative Christian upbringing at age 38
• Undergoing gastric bypass surgery and losing half her body weight
• Living with depression as a hoa haere (traveling companion)
• Reconnecting with her tūpuna (ancestors) and Māori identity

She splits her time between Rotorua and her home whenua on Aotea (Great Barrier Island).

Testimonial

“We really could not have pulled off the conference to this level without Miraka. We had fantastic feedback on her session, and she perfectly embodied our theme and kaupapa of the event. She set the tone from day one and continued to keep the energy high throughout the three days, all the way to the Gala Dinner. I would definitely recommend her.”
— Rachel Luo, Early Childhood Council