Transit vs. Taniwha

“Maori swamp creature delays road”. The proposed upgrade to a stretch of Waikato road is of concern to local Maori, who believe that the underlying swamp-land is home to a taniwha. This, they explain, is the reason the stretch of road has seen such a disproportionate number of crashes. Dr Ranginui Walker believes the taniwha is representative of the stage Maori culture is currently going through: “In the old days chiefs were put down, kaumatua ignored. You can’t blame younger ones for reaching back [to the ancient mythology] … We’re going through a reconstruction period.”