Lili Tuwai was born in Aotearoa (New Zealand), into a mixed cultural heritage of Fijian, Tongan and European ancestry. She grew up as the youngest child in an often volatile and abusive home environment. As a shy and troubled teenager she discovered poetry and creative writing as a meaningful medium for self-expression. In 1979, Lili became a teenage mother when her daughter was born. Together six years later, they migrated to Sydney, Australia. Lili worked in hospitality and community and mainstream media whilst pursuing higher education. Since then Lili has ventured into radio and print journalism, radio production, television reporting, community work, events management, cultural activism, and has produced work as a playwright, technical writer, speech writer, researcher and academic.  

In 1992, Lili graduated from the University of Technology, Sydney, with a BA in Communications majoring in Radio Production & Social and Political Theory. In 1996, from the same institution she gained a BA Honours in Communication with First Class Honours. In 1998, she was awarded a scholarship to the University of Western Sydney, Hawkesbury, and attained a PhD in Philosophy/Cultural Studies in 2001.