The Taniwha
What is a taniwha?
The taniwha, generally considered mythical, is a creature reputed to inhabit dangerous areas in New Zealand, especially waterways such as river bends, deep ponds, swamps, and treacherous coastlines. The taniwha seems to take on diverse forms, but is most commonly depicted as a large water-dwelling creature with a lizard or dragon-like form. There is some crossover between taniwha and the idea of rākau tipua (enchanted trees or logs) or the tuoro. These categories are somewhat flexible as shown by the stories of Mataura in lake Rotoiti, who started as a simple wooden post, but then broke free and floated in the lake and was considered a taniwha and dangerous omen
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By Pseudopanax at en.wikipedia - Own work, Public Domain
Some authors see a connection between these creatures and waterways sometimes visited by seals or whales. Or with the Tongan word 'tenifa' (or tanifa), meaning shark. They suggest the taniwha might spring from tales based on rare sightings, or passed down and modified across the generations. As with many cryptozoological creatures comparisons are made to dinosaurs such as the Plesiosaur. The taniwha can be seen as one of a family of mythical water creatures around the world like the Loch Ness Monster or the Morgawr.
Famous Taniwha
Hine-kōrako is a female taniwha who married a human man and had a child. Eventually she returned to the water, and she was known to sometimes protect people from dangerous waters in the Wairoa river. In fact most taniwha appear in stories as protectors or guardians such as Humuhumu who shepherded the Māhuhu canoe on the way to New Zealand
Other stories attribute impressive natural features to the actions of taniwha. For example Whängaimokopuna was cared for by the Rangitane people, but was left in the care of children who did not treat him well. He ate one of the children and as he fled created many of the natural features of the area. Hataitai, one of the two great taniwha said to have shaped the Wellington Harbor gives his name to an inner suburb of Wellington City and is depicted in a well-known carving in the entrance foyer of the Reserve
Taniwha Proverbs and Mottos
In the Waikato there is was a saying "Waikato taniwha rau, he piko he taniwha" (Waikato of a hundred taniwha, every bend a taniwha). This may have had a literal meaning but also referred to the number of Chiefs that lived along the Waikato river.
The 490 Squadron of the RNZAF had the motto: "Taniwha kei runga" (The Taniwha is in the air).
Taniwha Sightings
In 2007, sightings of mystery creatures in Lake Omapere lead to speculation that there was a taniwha in the area. However it could not be a very large taniwha as the lake is only two meters deep. A 2010 sighting in the Coromandel seems to be a little too connected to a desire to drive tourism in the area.
In general, modern taniwha sightings are very rare. In New Zealand the taniwha is seen as being more somewhere between spiritual and symbolic. Few would expect to actually see one in the flesh. However if you go a little further back in history there are a small number of reports of actual sightings.
Taniwha in Politics
The traditionally recognized location of a taniwha often embroils them in development projects that will compromise waterways or swamps. The taniwha acts to protect the environment and bolster Maori authority over the land. For example: Horotui/Auckland central business district rail link (2011) Karutahi/Highway project (2002) Takauere/Northland Prison development These appearances have caused the taniwha to also acquire a metaphorical meaning along the lines of 'problem' or 'obstacle for a project'. For example, New Zealand transport minister Steven Joyce said: “Treasury found a few fiscal taniwhas as well, so it doesn’t surprise me that another one has turned up
Taniwha in Children's Literature
Taming the Taniwha (2001) by Tim Tipene and Henry Campbell is a children's book for ages 4-8 that uses a fierce taniwha as a metaphor, helping children understand how to deal with bullies. The Terrible Taniwha of Timberditch by Joy Cowley tells the story of Josephine as she tries to discover exactly what a taniwha is. This story was originally published in 1982 and was reissued in 1987 and 2009.
Taniwha by Robyn Kahukiwa tells a story of friendship between a boy and a taniwha. The is a folk song (One Day a Taniwha) about a taniwha written in 1974 by Beatrice Yates. It has also been published as a children's book.
The Troll and the Taniwha is about accepting people with different abilities and the importance of learning to swim.