This article presents an autoethnographic study of the author's evolving ethnic and cultural identity over her lifespan after moving to New Zealand from Fiji as a teenager. This self-reflective journey explores the influence of names and physical characteristics on the author’s identity, employing the metaphor of a braided river to illustrate the significant shifts in identity that can occur due to environmental changes. Drawing on Nagel's (1994) concept, the author views their cultural identity as a complex tapestry, woven from elements of their Fijian and Samoan heritage and contemporary influences such as living and working in New Zealand and being married to a Māori man. The process of cultural adaptation described is intricate and illuminates how identity construction is influenced by others perspectives. In the face of discrimination the author draws on their education, region and whakapapa for resilience. In the end the author is clear that their identity is theirs to define.