Mr Kerry Nichols,[214-2] speaking of these monsters, says:
With the other fabulous creations of Maori mythology were the taniwhas or evil demons, mysterious monsters in the form of gigantic lizards, who were said to inhabit subterranean caves, the deep places of lakes and rivers, and to guard tabued districts. They were on the alert to upset canoes and to devour men. Indeed, these fabulous monsters not only entered largely into the religious superstitions, but into the poetry and prose of Maori tradition.
The Hawaiian Mo’o or Moko appears, from the following statement by Judge Fornander, to have been applied sometimes to this mythological monster:
The Mo’o or Moko mentioned in tradition—reptiles and lizards—were of several kinds—the mo’o with large, sharp, glistening teeth; the talking mo’o, moo-olelo; the creeping mo’o, moo-kolo; the roving, wandering mo’o, moo-pelo; the watchful mo’o, moo-kaala; the prophesying mo’o, moo-kaula; the deadly mo’o, moo-make-a-kane. The Hawaiian legends frequently speak of mo’o of extraordinary size living in caverns, amphibious in their nature, and being the terror of the inhabitants.[214-3]
According to the Codex Fuen-leal, at the beginning of things the gods made thirteen heavens, and beneath them the primeval water, in which they placed a fish called cipactli (queses como caiman). This marine monster brought the dirt and clay from which they made the earth, which, therefore, is represented in their paintings resting on the back of a fish.
A similar conception is found both in Malay and Hindu mythology, differing somewhat in details, but always relating to some monster reptile. In the Manek Maya, one of the ancient epics of Java, Anta Boga, the deity presiding over the lowest region of the earth, is a dragon-like monster with ninety nostrils. The same conception is found also among other peoples.
In the Tonga language moco is “a species of lizard;” in Hawaiian mo’o or moko is “the general name for lizards,” and the same word signifies “lizard” in Samoan; moko-moko is the New Zealand (Maori) name for a small lizard. Taylor[214-4] says that moko-titi was a “lizard god.”
It is therefore evident that a superstition regarding some reptilian water monster prevailed throughout the Pacific islands. It is true also that the Nahuatl cipactli certainly means some amphibious or water animal—a swordfish, alligator, or something of the kind, though exactly which is not certain—or, what is more likely, the reference was altogether mythical.
It is possible, and perhaps probable, as stated above, that the Maya symbol of this day was taken originally from the conventional method of representing the female breast. Drs Seler and Schellhas appear to be of this opinion. But it does not necessarily follow from this that the character used for the name of the day has any reference to the female breast, as it is more likely used in this relation for its phonetic value alone, m being the chief phonetic element indicated thereby.
If the supposition herein advanced that the combination shown in plate [LXIV], 9, denotes bread or food be correct, it is possible that the symbol is also sometimes used to indicate “maize,” ixim or xim, on account of its phonetic value. As will be shown farther on, the kan symbol is not only used to denote the grain of maize and maize in the general sense, but it appears to denote in some cases bread or the tortilla.