Myth of the Week · Fiji
Dakuwaqa for kids: Fiji's shark guardian
· P.Sean Tales
In Fiji the most famous shark isn't a monster. He's a guardian. His name is Dakuwaqa, and the old stories say he protects the fishing people and their canoes.
Dakuwaqa is a huge, strong shark who swims the reef passages around the islands. In the best-loved stories he keeps the other sharks of the deep in line and watches over the canoes that go through his water. People on the coast saw him as a protector, and a fisherman who respected the sea trusted him.
To get why that matters you have to know how a reef works. The coral reef around a Fijian island isn't a solid wall. It has gaps, like gates, where canoes can pass between the calm lagoon inside and the open ocean outside. The old fishermen said those gates were Dakuwaqa's special job. He patrolled them and kept the way safe for people who followed the rules of the sea.
So the reef gate was the most guarded spot on the water. In our book he's drawn on patrol at one of those gaps, calm and strong, more like a guard than a terror.
Did you know? Reef passages really are the one safe way for island canoes to get between the lagoon and the open sea, and many coastal communities in Fiji have long seen the shark as their protector.
Color the legend yourself
Dakuwaqa and the guardian of the reef are both in Myths & Legends of Fiji, along with the shy veli of the forest, the firewalkers and the Tagimoucia flower.
Or start free: grab the free coloring pages.
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You can find him in our book: Myths & Legends of Fiji.