Within Fiji Monsters
Beyond Dakuwaqa: Fiji's Other Strange Beings
Beyond Dakuwaqa, Fiji's creature traditions include octopus guardians, great eels, snakes, fish, giants and imported mermaid confusion.
On this page
- Octopus guardians and checked shark power
- Eels, snakes, fish and giant beings
- The Feejee Mermaid and imported confusion
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Introduction
Fiji’s best-known sea being is Dakuwaqa, the shark-god, but the wider landscape of Fijian creature traditions is far richer than a single shark legend. Across the islands, stories tell of octopus guardians capable of defeating powerful sea gods, immense serpents associated with creation and judgement, sacred fish, giant aquatic beings and other creatures that blur the line between animal, ancestor and deity. Unlike many modern cryptid traditions, these stories are usually not attempts to describe undiscovered animals. They are part of a living folklore shaped by reefs, channels, fishing grounds and the dangers of the Pacific Ocean.
For readers interested in mystery animals and sea legends, these traditions are fascinating because they show how real marine life—octopuses, sharks, eels, snakes and fish—can become supernatural guardians, rivals and moral figures. They also reveal how later outsiders sometimes misunderstood or repackaged Pacific stories, creating confusion that still surrounds famous curiosities such as the “Feejee Mermaid”.[Wikipedia]WikipediaFijian mythologyFijian mythology
Octopus guardians and checked shark power
One of the most important creatures in Fijian sea lore is not a shark but an octopus.
In many versions of the Dakuwaqa cycle, the shark-god travels through Fiji challenging local guardians and asserting his power over different stretches of sea. His advance eventually brings him into conflict with an octopus guardian associated with Kadavu and nearby waters. Rather than being defeated by a rival shark or warrior, Dakuwaqa is overcome by a creature that many outsiders might consider less imposing. The octopus uses its strength and intelligence to overpower him, forcing him to promise that he will no longer threaten the people of the area and will instead become their protector.[oceanianfolktales.com]oceanianfolktales.comOceania Folktales Dakuwaqa: The Fijian Shark-god | Oceanian Folktales.comOceania Folktales Dakuwaqa: The Fijian Shark-god | Oceanian Folktales.com
The story matters because it reverses expectations. In modern popular culture, sharks are usually portrayed as apex predators. In the Fijian tradition, raw strength is not enough. The octopus wins through determination, local authority and superior strategy. The legend also provides an explanation for why Dakuwaqa becomes a guardian figure rather than merely a dangerous sea power.[Oceania Folktales]oceanianfolktales.comOceania Folktales Dakuwaqa: The Fijian Shark-god | Oceanian Folktales.comOceania Folktales Dakuwaqa: The Fijian Shark-god | Oceanian Folktales.com
From a folklore perspective, the tale probably reflects the realities of island life. Communities depended on specific reefs, passages and fishing grounds. Assigning each area its own spiritual guardian helped create a mental map of protected places and local identities. The octopus is therefore less a “monster” than a territorial protector whose authority even a famous shark-god must respect.[It takes a Village]ittakesavillage.co.nzIt takes a Village Rotuma (Battle of the Shark and OctopusIt takes a Village6 May 2022 — According to myths and legends, there was once a battle between the shark god, Dakuwaqa and an octopus. Th…
Eels, snakes, fish and giant beings
Many readers encounter references to “great eels” in discussions of Pacific folklore, but in Fiji the strongest surviving traditions are usually connected to serpentine beings rather than reports of mysterious giant eel species.
The most important example is Degei, the great serpent deity who occupies a central place in many traditional accounts of Fijian cosmology. Degei is described as a creator figure, a judge of souls and a being connected with storms, earthquakes and the fertility of the land. Although he is often called a snake rather than an eel, the distinction is not always as sharp in popular retellings, especially when stories pass between cultures and languages. His immense size and association with caves, water and hidden places have helped keep him relevant in discussions of Fiji’s legendary creatures.[Wikipedia]WikipediaOpen source on wikipedia.org.
Alongside Degei are numerous traditions involving unusual fish, sacred marine animals and giant beings. Collections of Fijian folklore consistently group shark legends, snake legends, fish legends, giants, monsters and supernatural creatures together, suggesting that island communities viewed them as part of a connected mythological landscape rather than as separate categories.[World of Books]worldofbooks.comWorld of Books Myths and Legends of Fiji and RotumaW. Reed and Inez Hames. 1967. First Edition. 251 pages. This is an ex-Library book. Pictorial dust jacket over…Read more…
Several themes recur:
- Large aquatic creatures as guardians rather than predators.
- Animals linked to particular islands or reefs, giving stories a strong local identity.
- Shape-shifting beings that can move between human and animal forms.
- Enormous serpents or water creatures that explain natural forces such as storms, floods or earthquakes.
- Sacred fish traditions in which marine animals become ancestors, protectors or taboo species.[Wikipedia]WikipediaFijian mythologyFijian mythology
For cryptid enthusiasts, these stories can sound like reports of giant unknown creatures. Yet most surviving versions function more clearly as mythology than as eyewitness testimony. The creatures are remembered because of their cultural meaning, not because people are actively collecting evidence for their zoological existence.
Why water creatures dominate the folklore
The dominance of marine beings in Fijian tradition is not difficult to explain.
Fiji is an island nation whose history, economy and daily life have long depended on reefs, lagoons and ocean travel. Dangerous channels, sudden storms and encounters with large marine animals would have been familiar experiences. Sharks, octopuses, eels and large fish were real presences in people’s lives, making them natural candidates for transformation into supernatural figures.[Wikipedia]WikipediaFijian mythologyFijian mythology
This also helps explain why many stories focus on relationships rather than monsters. The question is rarely whether a creature exists. Instead, the story asks whether humans respect the sea, honour local guardians or understand the limits of their own power. In that sense, Fiji’s strange beings occupy a different cultural space from modern reports of lake monsters or hidden apes.
The Feejee Mermaid and imported confusion
No discussion of Fiji’s strange sea beings is complete without the famous “Feejee Mermaid”, even though it is not actually a Fijian creature.
The Feejee Mermaid became one of the nineteenth century’s most famous exhibition hoaxes. Promoters claimed it had been captured near Fiji, presenting it as proof of a real mermaid. In reality, the specimen was an artificial construction made by combining parts of different animals, most famously a monkey torso attached to a fish tail. The object became internationally famous after showman P. T. Barnum exhibited it in New York in 1842.[wikipedia.org]WikipediaFiji mermaidFiji mermaid
The connection to Fiji was largely a marketing invention. The exotic name helped attract attention from audiences eager for wonders from distant oceans. Modern research traces the object to a broader tradition of manufactured mermaid specimens that circulated through Asian and European trade networks long before Barnum popularised the exhibit.[Wikipedia]WikipediaFiji mermaidFiji mermaid
Because the hoax became so famous, many people outside the Pacific came to associate Fiji with mermaid legends that were never central to indigenous Fijian traditions. This creates a misleading picture. Traditional Fijian folklore certainly contains extraordinary sea beings, but octopus guardians, shark deities, serpentine creators and sacred marine animals are much more representative than Victorian mermaids.[wikipedia.org]WikipediaFiji mermaidFiji mermaid
What these stories look like through a cryptid lens
Viewed through modern cryptozoology, Fiji’s other sea beings occupy an unusual position. There are very few sustained claims that giant octopuses, supernatural eels or enormous serpents are physically present and awaiting scientific discovery. Instead, the traditions are primarily mythological and cultural.
That does not make them less interesting. In many countries, monster lore survives because people continue reporting sightings. In Fiji, the more enduring mystery lies in how marine animals became characters with motives, territories and personalities. The octopus that humbles a shark-god, the serpent who creates and judges the world, and the sacred fish linked to particular communities reveal how island societies interpreted the sea around them.[oceanianfolktales.com]oceanianfolktales.comOceania Folktales Dakuwaqa: The Fijian Shark-god | Oceanian Folktales.comOceania Folktales Dakuwaqa: The Fijian Shark-god | Oceanian Folktales.com
For that reason, Fiji’s eels, octopus guardians and other sea beings are best understood not as hidden animals but as a remarkable collection of ocean-centred folklore—stories in which the boundary between nature, spirituality and local history remains deliberately fluid.[Wikipedia]WikipediaFijian mythologyFijian mythology
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Further Reading
Books and field guides related to Beyond Dakuwaqa Fiji's Other Strange Beings. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
Illustrated Myths and Legends of the Pacific
Includes the wider ecosystem of Pacific supernatural beings.
Myths and legends of the Pacific
First published 2000. Subjects: Tales, Legends, Pacific Island Mythology.
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Endnotes
1.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Fijian mythology
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fijian_mythology
2.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/groups/605554179955738/posts/808687399642414/
Source snippet
I love Mythology, here is a little bit about Fiji's Shark God 🦈...One day, the Octopus God of Kadavu, decided to teach Dakuwaqa...
3.
Source: Wikipedia
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degei
4.
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Fiji mermaid
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiji_mermaid
5.
Source: jstor.org
Link:https://www.jstor.org/stable/1498966
Source snippet
P. T. Barnum and the Feejee Mermaidby SC Levi · 1977 · Cited by 27 — Barnum. The Feejee Mermaid was displayed in Barnum's American M...
6.
Source: Wikipedia
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mermaid
7.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/groups/302612704796652/posts/339311834460072/
Source snippet
Geta, sister of Degei, in Fijian mythologyIn Fijian mythology, Degei, enshrined as a serpent, is the supreme god of Fiji. He is the creat...
8.
Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1455295428032915/posts/2049974148565037/
Source snippet
Oral story-telling is a popular and important pastime in Fiji..."In Fijian mythology, Degei, enshrined as a serpent, is the supreme god...
9.
Source: hoaxes.org
Title: the feejee mermaid
Link:https://hoaxes.org/archive/permalink/the_feejee_mermaid
Source snippet
(1842)The Feejee Mermaid herself is believed to have been created around 1810 by a Japanese fisherman. It was bought by Dutch merchants w...
10.
Source: oceanianfolktales.com
Title: Oceania Folktales Dakuwaqa: The Fijian Shark-god | Oceanian Folktales.com
Link:https://oceanianfolktales.com/dakuwaqa-the-fijian-shark-god/
11.
Source: ittakesavillage.co.nz
Title: It takes a Village Rotuma (Battle of the Shark and Octopus)
Link:https://www.ittakesavillage.co.nz/post/rotuma-battle-of-the-shark-and-octopus
Source snippet
It takes a Village6 May 2022 — According to myths and legends, there was once a battle between the shark god, Dakuwaqa and an octopus. Th...
Published: May 2022
12.
Source: worldofbooks.com
Title: World of Books Myths and Legends of Fiji and Rotuma
Link:https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/products/myths-and-legends-of-fiji-and-rotuma-rare-book-a-w-reed-and-inez-hames-1721839209cab
Source snippet
W. Reed and Inez Hames. 1967. First Edition. 251 pages. This is an ex-Library book. Pictorial dust jacket over...Read more...
13.
Source: coneyisland.com
Title: feejee mermaid
Link:https://www.coneyisland.com/shof-attractions/feejee-mermaid
Source snippet
Coney Island USAFeejee MermaidBarnum put one on display at his American Museum, in New York, in 1842. It is thought that the mermaid he d...
14.
Source: daisyjordan.co.uk
Title: the feejee mermaid and japanese mermaid folklore
Link:https://www.daisyjordan.co.uk/blog/the-feejee-mermaid-and-japanese-mermaid-folklore
Source snippet
Daisy Jordan / Barely Human PuppetsThe legend of The Feejee Mermaid, and Japanese Mermaid...28 Jan 2026 — The Feejee Mermaid was a Victo...
Additional References
15.
Source: medium.com
Link:https://medium.com/%40liamjenkins1982/sea-monsters-myth-legend-759358096a45
Source snippet
Sea Monsters, Myth & LegendNot long into the brawl, Dakuwaqa begged for mercy, bargained for his life and told the octopus that if he rel...
16.
Source: www2.moa.ubc.ca
Link:https://www2.moa.ubc.ca/voicesofthecanoe/history/myths-and-legends-of-fiji-rotuma/index.html
Source snippet
Read the legend of the Great Flood and discover how the God of Carpenters taught the Fijian people how to make canoes.Read more...
17.
Source: thekidshouldseethis.com
Title: fiji myth dakuwaqa shark god animation
Link:https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/fiji-myth-dakuwaqa-shark-god-animation
Source snippet
The Kid Should See ThisThe Fijian myth of greedy Dakuwaqa, the shape-shifting...15 Feb 2024 — The myth of Dakuwaqa is deeply rooted in F...
18.
Source: books.google.com
Link:https://books.google.com/books/about/Myths_and_Legends_of_Fiji_and_Rotuma.html?id=D-ob0QEACAAJ
Source snippet
Google BooksMyths and Legends of Fiji and RotumaTitle, Myths and Legends of Fiji and Rotuma; Authors, Alexander Wyclif Reed, Alice Inez...
19.
Source: reddit.com
Title: This is the “Feejee Mermaid”
Link:https://www.reddit.com/r/Weird/comments/1bpbp0a/this_is_the_feejee_mermaid_it_was_originally/
Source snippet
It was originally claimed that...It was originally claimed that the "mermaid" was captured off the coast of Fiji, but it's actually a mo...
20.
Source: multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com
Title: fantastic folktales from fiji following
Link:https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2017/01/fantastic-folktales-from-fiji-following.html
Source snippet
W. Reed & Inez Hames A.H.... Octopus story of Micronesia - here, the Shark God Daquwaka fought a giant...Read more...
21.
Source: storycrossroads.org
Title: Dakuwaqa fights Octopus
Link:https://storycrossroads.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/dakuwaqa-fights-octopus-fiji.pdf
Source snippet
FijiDakuwaqa, the shark god, had always won in battle. He overthrew the sea-eel god. He even defeated. Maselaca and later became great fr...
22.
Source: youtube.com
Title: The Fijian myth of the greedy god
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBWgOe8HsV0
Source snippet
Fijian Mythology: Dakuwaqa (The Shark God) vs Roko Bakaniceva (The Giant Octopus)...
23.
Source: tropicalfiji.com
Title: Tropical Fiji Legends
Link:https://www.tropicalfiji.com/about_fiji/culture/legends/
Source snippet
A Legend Of Degei The Snake God. Greatest of all Fijian gods was Degei, the Snake god.Read more...
24.
Source: morbitorium.co.uk
Title: fiji mermaids
Link:https://www.morbitorium.co.uk/s/stories/fiji-mermaids?srsltid=AfmBOooV-gWOKbZvCDKN5hVd0_vvbsv2lwc2xcFtKS2zcAMTPykMgMJz
Source snippet
The Fiji Mermaids: A Tale of Deception and Curiosity28 Sept 2023 — So when a supposedly authentic mermaid was put on display by a man nam...
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