The Scottish have the Loch Ness Monster. The people of Vermont have their Memphré. The Welsh have the Afanc. The Japanese have the Amabie (アマビエ). The Indians have the Makara. And the Māori of New Zealand also believe there is something more to fear than sharks and jellyfish.
The taniwha are supernatural creatures that can take the shape of giant lizards, sea creatures, sharks, whales, octopus, or monsters that lived in deep waters (both fresh water and salt water, sometimes with wings or with changing shapes. They exist in the ocean, rivers, lakes, caves, or the Cook Strait. Some taniwha would eat people or kidnap women. In contrast, others were believed to be guardians for a tribe or ships at sea.
Kupe was the mythological navigator who is reputed to have discovered New Zealand while travelling in the Matawhaorua canoe. He placed one of his guardian taniwha, Tuhirangi, in the Cook Strait. Tuhirangi guided and protected canoes and reappeared in the form of a dolphin named Pelorus Jack, which accompanied ships between 1888 and 1912.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.