Every time the All Blacks, the New Zealand national rugby team perform the Haka as a part of their pre-match ritual, the tiny country, and its origins are in focus. But beyond this, most folks would struggle to identify with Maori culture, yours truly included. It’s not like NZ itself gets a lot of focus, unless you’re dreaming about the Shire, Kane Williamson’s batting or Jacinda Ardern is speaking.
Witi Ihimaera’s The Whale Rider totally feels like it should be a movie. The funny thing is that my sorry ass didn’t know it had been adapted on the big screen and released to decent success in 2002. This a contemporary retelling of the legend of Kahutia Te Rangi, the one who rode the whale as referenced in the title. While mythology forms the core of the plot, the story is actually about young Kahu, a little girl looking to subvert the patriarchal traditions of Maori society. Told from the POV of her uncle Rawiri, Kahu lives her life with the constant uphill battle of not being the boy her great-grandfather Koro had hoped for. As chieftain Koro is looking for the one who will carry forward the traditions they hold dear. Despite several indications of Kahu’s abilities, Koro chooses to ignore her, venting his frustration through his arguments with Nanny Flowers, who dotes on Kahu. You could think of this as a YA novel with Kahu’s journey at the forefront, but more than that The Whale Rider is a confluence of familial bonds, upholding of cultural traditions, and transcendent connections. Rawiri’s storytelling is interspersed with the voice of the ancient whale, leading his family through the depths of the ocean and at one point, the narratives converge with Kahu being the point of focus.
The read: From the outset, I want to say that this is beautifully written. Ihimaera does not hold back, describing his homeland in full bloom. The scenes ranging from Whangera to Sydney are lush and richly described. There’s a fair amount of Maori words utilized and the glossary at the end of the book did come in handy for reference. The characters are fleshed out really well, with Kahu being the star that truly shines. She’s a ball of energy, extremely skillful, optimistic, and refuses to buckle in the face of discrimination and adversity. She lights up every scene she’s present in and it’s evident why the family’s existence revolves around her. Ihimaera manages to tune his writing in accordance with the POV, whether it be Rawiri’s real-world tones or the ancient whale’s lyrical speech. Some of the scenes involving whales being beached and dying were really hard to come to terms with and will surely make you ponder for a bit. As ironic as it sounds, I will reiterate that this is a story meant to be experienced visually. No, I’m not saying the book is better than the movie or vice versa. I wouldn’t know either way. It’s just that I want to feel all of what happened at Whangera visually. As the book states at the end of every chapter, let it be done.
Trivia: Business firms in NZ were prompted by an urging by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei – a hapu, or sub-tribe, in the city of Auckland – to “individually and collectively use the word ‘Aotearoa’ in their titles. Vodafone and DDB subsequently adopted the title, the indigenous word used to describe the country.
Documentation:
Book: The Whale Rider
Author: Witi Ihimaera
Year of Release: 1987
Publisher: Harcourt Paperbacks