Tāwera Nikau: Leading With Purpose, Grounded in Whenua
- Natalie Jessup
- Jul 21
- 2 min read
It’s been nearly 20 years since Tāwera Nikau, rugby league legend, leader and advocate, lost his leg in a serious motorcycle accident. Coming only a few years after the tragic loss of his first wife Letitia, the experience plunged him into one of the darkest chapters of his life.
“I remember sitting on the edge of my hospital bed thinking, ‘What does a one-legged former rugby league player do with his life?’” he recalls.
Today, Tāwera stands as a powerful voice for resilience, service, and environmental restoration. At 58, he brings energy and determination to every role he takes on - as a father and grandfather, a mentor and speaker, and co-chair of the Endangered Species Foundation | Tāngaro Tuia te Ora.
Speaking from his whānau farm beside Lake Waikare in the North Waikato, Tāwera shares what has helped him rebuild his life with purpose.
“Hardship touches all of us. But if you reach out for help, hold onto optimism, and surround yourself with your people, you can come through stronger. That’s what I’ve learned—and now I try to pass that on.”
Between managing his whānau’s dairy and cropping farms, staying active on the land, and holding national roles in rugby league leadership, Tāwera is also focused on supporting mental health in rural communities and sharing tools for resilience with other Māori farmers.
It’s also the restoration of the environment that continues to fuel his drive for change. Deeply connected to his Waikato-Tainui heritage, Tāwera brings a mātauranga Māori lens to his environmental work - honouring the wisdom passed down from tūpuna and the responsibility to uphold the wellbeing of te taiao.
“As farmers and as Māori, we know the importance of looking after the land and the water. Our ancestors understood how connected everything is. Mātauranga tuku iho is a real strength—it grounds the way we care for our whenua and our people.”
As co-chair of the Endangered Species Foundation, Tāwera is championing Māori-led restoration efforts across Aotearoa. From restoring wetlands and protecting biodiversity, to eradicating invasive species like koi carp and deploying smart water sensors through partnerships like AquaWatch, he’s working alongside communities to regenerate ecosystems and protect the species that call them home.
“Wetlands are the kidneys of the earth. If we want to protect our future, we have to heal our rivers, our oceans, and our whenua—together, as kaitiaki.”
Through his leadership, Tāwera is helping grow the next generation of changemakers—and believes that giving back is key to a meaningful life.
“When you’ve been through adversity, you realise what really matters. I’ve got a beautiful wife, happy children, healthy mokopuna, and every day I’m grateful. That’s why I do what I do—because we all have something to offer.”
Thank you to Woman's Day NZ for working with us to create and share this story.
Want to support local restoration and species protection? Learn more about our mahi and how you can get involved:
Need support?
Find mental health services and helplines here:
