Taniwha

Found in: New Zealand, in deep pools of rivers, dark caves, or the surrounding ocean, especially those places with dangerous currents or deceptive giant waves

  In Māori mythology, the Taniwha (pronouned tanifa) can be either male or female, and are considered highly respected kaitiaki - protective guardians - of certain peoples or places. In some traditions, they are dangerous, predatory beings, known for eating people or kidnapping women to have as wives.

   At sea, the Taniwha appears as either a whale or large shark (the Māori word for great white shark is mangō-taniwha), but inland individuals are said to look more like a gecko or tuatara in whale-like dimensions, with a row of spines along its back. They can even sometimes appear as a floating log that behaves in a 'disconcerting way'. Some are known for tunneling through the earth, uprooting trees in the process, and there are legends that credit certain Taniwha with creating harbours while tunneling to reach the ocean.

Artist notes: Pencil on paper. It occurred to me that the Taniwha's behavior of tunneling towards the ocean sounded a lot like that of sea turtles after they hatch; and therefore, the more lizard-like form of the Taniwha could be their juvenile state. The adult form (top) has a whale-like mouth, evidence of spines (that can easily be confused with a dorsal fin), crocodile-like forelimbs, and a long tail similar to that of a sea snake, as their depiction as being reminiscent to a shark suggests the side-to-side movement of a fish or reptile rather than the up-and-down tail movement of whales. The juvenile (bottom) still a more lizard-like form, with a more pronounced back ridge and evidence of back limbs still present.

Last updated 11/13/15