November 11, 2022
Taniwha topic for deep study
Two Māori scholars want to take taniwha out of the realm of fairy tales.
Kirsty Dunn and Madi Williams from the University of Canterbury Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha have received a grant from the Marsden Fund to write biographies of up to 15 taniwha.
Dr Dunn says taniwha came up in their doctoral research, but the reactions of people when they mentioned them seemed at odds with the Maori understanding.
Dr Williams says it’s time to change the narrative.
“We want to ask who are taniwha rather than what are taniwha? What are the connections between our taniwha narratives and what kind of knowledge is embedded in these narratives as well as looking at how they can help us understand and navigate our current challenges we face in Aotearoa as well as the wider globe as well,” she says.
The funding will allow them to work with iwi, hapū and whānau to capture accurate kōrero about specific taniwha.