Taniwha

in some accounts it resembles a giant reptile, shark, whale, or serpent

The Taniwha's powers are tied closely to its watery domain: it can control currents, create whirlpools or dangerous rapids, and move unseen beneath the surface before striking.

Weaknesses attributed to taniwha in various tellings include vulnerability to ritual chants (karakia) and offerings performed by tohunga (priestly experts), who could appease, bind, or drive off a hostile taniwha.

The Taniwha's powers are tied closely to its watery domain: it can control currents, create whirlpools or dangerous rapids, and move unseen beneath the surface before striking.

A taniwha's nature is similarly dual: it can act as a kaitiaki, a guardian spirit that protects a hapū and its territory and warns of danger, or it can behave as a dangerous predator that attacks travelers, capsizes canoes, or blocks passage through its domain.

In Māori tradition of Aotearoa New Zealand, the Taniwha is a powerful supernatural being that dwells in deep water and dark places, acting as a guardian of its territory who can be either a fearsome threat or a protective kaitiaki depending on how it is treated.

The Taniwha's powers are tied closely to its watery domain: it can control currents, create whirlpools or dangerous rapids, and move unseen beneath the surface before striking.

Some traditions describe taniwha carving out waterways or riverbeds as they traveled, explaining features of the local landscape.