Here's lurking at you, kid

Where in Auckland are the taniwha? And what do Maori believe they want? Rowena Orejana goes in search of answers.
Cast members are taking a break in the auditorium of the Auckland War Memorial Museum. One actor carries a faceless puppet which resembles a child.
Steve Howarth, designer and director of the museum's new production, walks up and down the aisle carrying props - several sets of big eyes, some bloodshot, others clear white, on the end of black sticks.
Taniwha! makes its debut on July 16, although some people may argue it made its debut weeks ago before the Auckland Council.
Maori Statutory Board adviser Glenn Wilcox upset plans to fast-track the $2.6 billion rail link tunnel project by raising the issue of Horotiu, Ngati Whatua iwi's taniwha, whose rohe (area) would be bisected by the tunnel.
It is not the first time taniwha have turned up in major projects.
In 2002, Karu Tahi, a one-eyed taniwha which lives along the Waikato River, stopped work on the Waikato Expressway, leading to the re-routing of part of the new road.
The construction of Ngawha Prison near Kaikohe generated on-site protests after claims the work disturbed the lair of another sacred guardian, a log named Takauere.
Horotiu is the first taniwha brought up in Auckland in connection with a civic project. But it appears it is not alone.
Myth illogical?
There are several taniwha around Auckland, guarding and protecting their domains, says Pita Turei, historian, storyteller and orator, who is working with the museum on its Taniwha! show.
He is also researching sites of significance for the Waitangi Tribunal. "I have to say, Auckland is a city where the history is not known to its population," he says, as the lights within the theatre dim for rehearsals.
"And so my knowledge comes only from my extensive research. I haven't been brought up with it. This isn't knowledge that has been handed down to me from my elders.
"We are a dispossessed people and a ward of the state. We're reconnecting the history that has been broken, denied and interrupted."
Mr Turei's speech has a soft cadence: part lecture, part theatre. It draws one to follow him on a voyage of legends, beliefs and the act of propitiation or appeasement.
"There is a strong association throughout Asia with dragons," he says.
"In some places, dragons are represented but, by and large, they are not things to be seen but things to be recognised, acknowledged and propitiated, if there are going to be any activities that will impact on the places that the dragons are guardians of.
"Taniwha are the same.
"They are metaphysical entities. They are not things that bite you or anything, but if you do disturb them in some way we expect negative consequences. So we look at ways of propitiation in the same way as most traditional cultures do."
What they are not, he says emphatically, are myths.
"Taniwha have nothing to do with mythology. Taniwha represent our relationship to the environment. We don't see taniwha but we see the signs of the taniwha and the signs of the taniwha inform us of threats to our environment, to our sacred places and to the wellbeing of the people."
Mr Turei has been tracing the locations of various taniwha through the Maori Land Court. "Within all of those records is a reference to our taniwha," he says.
Taniwha in Tamaki Makarau

Mr Turei has identified several sites in Auckland which have a taniwha or are associated with a taniwha, but says there are undoubtedly more.
"You don't find taniwha, taniwha find you. But there are definitely places that historically have been the places that we associate with the taniwha," he says.
Mr Turei says he has visited the places and experienced them. "There's a water taniwha in the west coast that is raging and wild. And there's a raging and wild taniwha, as you'd expect, in Piha. And so you can experience things there."
The taniwha, Kaiwhare, ranges along the west coast from Muriwai to the Manukau Harbour, but can be visited around the rocks at low tide from South Piha Beach.
While one doesn't actually get to see a taniwha, one sees signs affirming its presence.
"If you take the taniwha on Motutapu, which is two lizards, the sign of affirmation that I've experienced is [seeing] the giant green gecko, which is a very rare creature which some sources say is extinct. But I've seen one of those. You don't see that very often. So it's things like that," he explains.
Mr Turei says every region in Auckland has its own unique taniwha. "These have been defined by the people who live in these areas. Their character and deeds are entwined with the genealogies and the histories of the people in the area," he says.
Taking shape

It is this cultural story the Auckland Museum wants to showcase. The live show will feature puppetry as its core technique but has a range of styles from traditional theatre, with actors and amazing backdrops which will hopefully immerse the audience in the story.
"I'm still learning a great deal [about the taniwha]," says Steve Howarth, the show's Australian director. "Like how intangible it is."
Mr Howarth says disrupted flights as a result of the ash clouds from Chile have prevented him from having anything to do with the script, "which is probably a good thing".
"The way we tried to represent something that is so difficult to represent is through the use of sound, abstract shape and in some instances, light and movement without referencing a specific thing. It does make a particular appearance, especially at the end for people in the front seats," he says.
"But for the most part it's an idea, an amorphous idea."
He says the show will be dynamic, with moments of great gravity. "Even though it's for a family audience, it's not necessarily children's theatre."
Still, children are important audience members. "At least children [will] know what these things are, make up whatever they will ... but if they know the places, they will now enjoy the association," Mr Howarth says.
"We have the taniwha today and the ancient association. They'll start to understand the value in maintaining the taniwha in understanding what is unique to Tamaki, what is unique to our environment, our biodiversity and our heritage as a people."
Finding taniwha

Mr Turei says there are ceremonies for engaging with taniwha that are unique to each place and its people. Taniwha are not found on the brightest summer afternoon, but on the longest night. They do not appear, but show signs which affirm their presence.
Here are some of Auckland's taniwha and places associated with taniwha:
Te Moko Ika A Hikuwaru. A taniwha with eight limbs which came to Aotearoa with the Tainui waka and fell in love with the Panmure Basin. It is also the guardian of the sacred spring which feeds Te Waipuna o Raiatea, Van Damms Lagoon.
Kaiwhare. Several places are named after this taniwha or its exploits along the west coast from Muriwai south to the Manukau Harbour. Its favourite place to visit is the Gap at Piha.
Ureia. The legendary guardian of the Hauraki which often takes the form of a whale. It lived near the mouth of Te Kirikiri river and was a regular visitor to the reef below Pt Erin, the bottom of Curran St and under the Harbour Bridge.
Paikea. A friendly taniwha known to range from Te Tai Tokerau south to the entrance of Manukau Harbour. One of its homes is Paikea Bay, Anawhata.
Taramainuku. The guardian of waters south of the Manukau Harbour entrance.
Te Moko Nui o Hei and Te Mokonui o Kahuare. Lizard taniwha, guardians on Motutapu where they made their homes on Orawaho (Islington Bay) and Te Peehi o Manawatere (Home Bay). They later came to be represented by stones.
Horotiu. Taniwha of the Ngati Whatua iwi, residing in a former creek running along part of what is now Queen St.
Te Mokoroa. Ranges from Upper Waitemata into the Waitakere Ranges. It is a guardian of the eels in the streams and fish breeding grounds of the inner Waitemata Harbour.
Te Tuhi o Manawatere. Manawatere was a Maori who came to Auckland on the back of a taniwha. He left his mark on a pohutukawa at the southern end of Cockle Bay.
Taniwha!
Daytime shows: July 16-30, 10.30am, 11.30am  and 1pm. No shows Monday, July 18 and 25. Evening shows: Fridays, July 15 and 22, 5.30pm and 6.30pm.
Auditorium: $10  a person, $8 for members and groups of 10 or over. Suitable for ages 5 years and up. Some scenes may frighten pre-school children.
No taniwha were harmed in the making of this show. For bookings, ph 306 7048 or see:
www.aucklandmuseum.com