Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu

A bird needs feathers to fly

Manawa is a space for women to build confidence in the outdoors—through hands-on learning, shared experiences, and real connection. Whether you're backing a trailer for the first time, hiking into a remote hut, or just looking to meet other women who get it, you're in the right place.

Founded by Britt Davies, Manawa was born from a love of the wild and a desire to make the outdoors more accessible, supportive, and empowering for wāhine of all backgrounds.

We run a mix of speaker events, practical skills workshops, and multi-day experiences—all designed to help you feel more confident outside, and more connected inside.

You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to be open to giving it a go.

We focus on

  • Confidence

    Gaining practical outdoor skills that help you feel capable

  • Connection

    To Te Taiao (the natural world), to self, and to others

  • Challenge

    Pushing your limits in a supported environment

  • Reflection

    Creating space to grow, reset, and reconnect

Why Manawa?

Manawa means heart or pulse in te reo Māori.

In this context it speaks to the rhythm that connects us—to our environments, to each other, and to ourselves. It’s the feeling you get when you pause to breathe in the bush, when your heart races as you try something new, or when you're standing beside someone who understands what it's taken to get there.

Our Values

  • We nurture resilience by guiding women through experiences that build capability, confidence, and inner steadiness. Strength isn’t about toughness — it’s about learning to stand firmly in who you are, supported by the whenua and the community around you.

  • Courage is the decision to show up as you are, try something new, take one more step, or start over. We create experiences where women can safely push their edges and discover their own capacity for boldness, in both the big challenges and the subtle moments of growth.

  • Connection is at the heart of Manawa: connection to self, to te taiao, and to each other. Our experiences foster deep relationships, shared stories, and a sense of belonging.

  • Every step we take acknowledges the mana of te taiao (the natural world). We guide in a way that is respectful, responsible, and grounded in reciprocity — understanding that the land teaches us, strengthens us, and deserves our protection.

  • Our role is not to lead from above, but to walk alongside — equipping women with real skills, practical knowledge, and the confidence to thrive in outdoor spaces and therefore, in life. Empowerment for us is about revealing or refinding what already exists within.

Meet the Founder

Kia ora, I’m Britt—a designer, hunter, outdoor lover, and big believer in the power of saying yes to challenge. I grew up fishing and duck shooting with my whānau in Tauranga, and later found a love for the mountains and big wild places of the South.

After stepping further into the hunting and outdoor world, I realised how important it is to have spaces where women feel welcome, supported, and empowered to learn. Manawa is my way of creating that space—for all of us who are still learning, still growing, and still getting out there.

Come and join me on this journey, I can’t wait to meet you all where you’re at.