When Corban Baxter first joined the NRLW Māori Ferns All Stars team, she felt like an impostor.
The Sydney Roosters' premiership-winning captain was born in New Zealand and is Māori, but moved to Australia when she was three years old.
"In the past I'd have a giggle and call myself a plastic Māori. I am [Māori], but I felt like I wasn't because I didn't know enough," she told ABC Sport.
"But I think there are lots of people out there that probably feel similar. And my advice would just be that there's no need to feel like that.
"If it's in your blood, it's part of you."
Learning through rugby league
Baxter, who recently gave birth to her second child, credits the NRLW All Stars concept with helping her connect with her culture.
"In the past there's been a little bit of embarrassment and shame about not knowing as much as I would like to, just because I haven't been brought up immersed in it," she said.
"And when you go into those environments, with some girls that have grown up over in New Zealand and can speak fluent te reo Māori and know everything about the culture, it can be really intimidating.
"But I try to embrace it, I've still got so much to learn, but it just makes me really proud."
Baxter first played for the Māori All Stars in 2020 and was appointed captain the following year.
She admits she felt uneasy receiving the honour, thinking there were others who were more deserving.
But advice from the team's cultural advisor was crucial in helping her feel like she belonged.
"He just made it really clear that if you've got Māori blood in you, then you're a Māori and that's all there is to it," the 28-year-old said.
Passing the lessons on
Baxter has also praised the influence of fellow players including Roosters teammate Mya Hill-Moana, and her best friend and business partner Kiana Takairangi, who is Māori/Cook Islander.
Baxter and Takairangi run CK Athletic Development, which delivers speed and agility programs and rugby league skills sessions in Sydney's south.
For both women, culture is an important part of what they do, highlighted by their uniforms, which were designed by a Māori artist.
"We wanted to provide a safe space for young Pasifika people to be a part of our community and we take pride in that," Baxter said.
"We're really passionate about combining two things that we love, which is sport, in particular rugby league, and our culture as well."
Baxter is on an ever-evolving journey and wants to pass it onto others too, most importantly her two sons, including newborn Beauden.
"There's so many parts of my Māori heritage that I love: the singing, the dancing, the culture, the haka, the language, it's all really special, and just drives me to want to learn more," she said.
"Especially bringing a new bub into the world, I just want to make sure that he has the opportunity to learn, if not from me, from other people around that can teach him too."
