taniwha

/ ˈtʌniːfɑː, ˈtænəwɑː /

noun

1. a legendary Māori monster

Word History and Origins

Origin of taniwha¹

Māori

Example Sentences

A taniwha was the local tribe’s “way of codifying the observation made through years that this place floods from time to time,” Dr. Hikuroa said.

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It was supposed to run through a swamp that local Māori said was inhabited by a tempestuous taniwha.

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Understanding a river as the home of a taniwha, for example, helps describe its sinuous appearance and warn of its volatility or capacity to break its banks.

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It includes everything from systematic observations about what plants grow best in certain areas or which stars to follow across vast oceans, to legends referring to certain rivers as the home of taniwha — unpredictable supernatural beings.

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Further south, in New Zealand, the taniwha are dragon-like creatures from Maori mythology.

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