On a hot summer’s day, my partner and I enjoyed the peacefulness of our favourite local waterfall.  The waterfall spans several meters in height and width with native bush on either side.  Sometimes the cascading river that flows through and around this magnificent mountain range whispers the bird’s secrets.

David as usual was already in the water, under the waterfall embodying the weight of the river on his back.  As we were blessed with being present with this place on our own, I paused on the diving rock and connected with the area.  Breathing in and out, exchanging my breath with the trees. 

“I need a cleanse physically and mentally, thank you waterfall for this cleanse.”

At that moment, I notice the fantail in the tree fanning its feathers, flittering along the branch and I honoured Mother Earths communication.  Then down below the fantails branch overhanging the rock pool there was some splashing with the instant knowing that it was a Taniwha.

I bellowed over the falling water, “There is something in the water.”

“Yeah, it’s a Taniwha,” David causally replied.

Logic scrolled over what it could be, the few things it could be here in our fresh waters, an eel or a fish, that’s it.  As I watched the periodic splashes, no part of the body broke the surface of the water, yet the splashes would indicate its fin or tail appearing.  Accepting nature’s beautiful communication, I dove in and cleansed with the mythical creature. 

I starfished on top of the water, absorbing the sun’s rays, while this rolling movement glided under my body, to then position itself under my backside.  I sensed knowledge, I sensed this was the area’s living essence, the spirit, mother nature sprung forth a Taniwha to protect the land and water.

As the pressure released, I sank and knew my cleanse was done.  Upon reaching the side of the pool, my pinkie finger snapped with pain, the finger that represents the physical body, the cleanse was complete.

Standing on the edge of the rock cherishing this experience and life, I felt the sudden urge to pick up rubbish, I look around and for once there was not any.  This feeling did not subside, and I mentioned to David how I am not sure why I keep sensing the act of picking up rubbish.

Up until this point David had not seen the consistent splashing that I was seeing in the same area of the rock pool since we got here.  After he dried off and joined my side to bask in the scenery, he too saw the splashes, and we felt the energy. 

A fledging fantail fluttered alongside our walk back to the car.  At the car, there was a lady picking up rubbish.

“Thank you for picking up rubbish,”  I said wholeheartedly.

“I always do when I come here, last time someone had done it for me, which is great when we all pitch in.”

“I agree, it does get busy here during summer,” I could not see a rubbish bag in her hand, as she was holding the scraps, “let us take that rubbish for you, we have a bag in the car.”

“Thank you, I came with some friends in their car this time.  We have had more people this year than I have seen before, there has been a lot happening.  The last time I was here, my son saw a yellow taniwha.  When we got home, we looked in books and online and could not find anything that resembled what he saw.  He said it looked like an eel, but not an eel, it had too many fins.”

David and I looked at each other and smiled.  “It is a taniwha; we just saw it.”

“Oh I just wondered if my son’s imagination had seen it, you saw it too,” without giving us a chance to confirm we had seen splashing and both separately sensed it was Taniwha, she continues, “Mmm, my belief is that it is not good, not a good sign at all, the Taniwha is male energy, and if it is here at this waterfall, then life will be taken, same as the Waikato Taniwha, it is the taker of life.”

“We only got good positive energy today, maybe things have changed.”

“I hope you are right.”

Back in the car, reminiscing on what just happened, we both agreed that things have changed.

“I felt nothing but love and understanding today, with the taniwha and the waterfall.  I truly felt no disharmony.” 

“Me too, I felt a connection.”  David agreed.

“Her story is of the old myths and legends.”

“Yeah, it is what has been passed down through generations.”

“So, that may have once been, yet we are creating a new world, that is not based on dark or negative forces.”

“That’s right, no more fear.”

New stories, new history, new world.