The Whale Rider Paperback – May 1, 2003
by Witi Ihimaera (Author)
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Eight-year-old Kahu, a member of the Maori tribe of Whangara, New Zealand, fights to prove her love, her leadership, and her destiny. Her people claim descent from Kahutia Te Rangi, the legendary "whale rider." In every generation since Kahutia, a male heir has inherited the title of chief. But now there is no male heir, and the aging chief is desperate to find a successor. Kahu is his only great-grandchild--and Maori tradition has no use for a girl. But when hundreds of whales beach themselves and threaten the future of the Maori tribe, it is Kahu who saves the tribe when she reveals that she has the whale rider's ancient gift of communicating with whales.
Now available in simultaneous hardcover and paperback editions.
Feature film in theaters in June 2003!
---Editorial Reviews
Review
Whale Rider, the movie--winner of the Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Audience Award, the Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award, and the Rotterdam International Film Festival Canal Plus Audience Award
About the Author
WITI IHIMAERA, a prolific writer and editor in New Zealand, is the author of numerous short-story collections, novels, anthologies, and nonfiction titles. He teaches English and creative writing at the University of Auckland.
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Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
ONE
In the old days, in the years that have gone before us, the land and sea felt a great emptiness, a yearning. The mountains were like a stairway to heaven, and the lush green rainforest was a rippling cloak of many colors. The sky was iridescent, swirling with the patterns of wind and clouds; sometimes it reflected the prisms of rainbow or southern aurora. The sea was ever-changing, shimmering and seamless to the sky. This was the well at the bottom of the world, and when you looked into it you felt you could see to the end of forever.
This is not to say that the land and sea were without life, without vivacity. The tuatara, the ancient lizard with its third eye, was sentinel here, unblinking in the hot sun, watching and waiting to the east. The moa browsed in giant wingless herds across the southern island. Within the warm stomach of the rainforests, kiwi, weka, and the other birds foraged for huhu and similar succulent insects. The forests were loud with the clatter of tree bark, chatter of cicada, and murmur of fish-laden streams. Sometimes the forest grew suddenly quiet, and in wet bush could be heard the filigree of fairy laughter like a sparkling glissando.
The sea, too, teemed with fish, but they also seemed to be waiting. They swam in brilliant shoals, like rains of glittering dust, throughout the greenstone depths-hapuku, manga, kahawai, tamure, moki, and warehou-herded by shark or mango ururoa. Sometimes from far off a white shape would be seen flying through the sea, but it would only be the serene flight of the tarawhai, the stingray with the spike on its tail.
Waiting. Waiting for the seeding. Waiting for the gifting. Waiting for the blessing to come.
Suddenly, looking up at the surface, the fish began to see the dark bellies of the canoes from the east. The first of the Ancients were coming, journeying from their island kingdom beyond the horizon. Then, after a period, canoes were seen to be returning to the east, making long cracks on the surface sheen. The land and the sea sighed with gladness:
We have been found.
The news is being taken back to the place of the Ancients.
Our blessing will come soon.
In that waiting time, earth and sea began to feel the sharp pangs of need, for an end to the yearning. The forests sent sweet perfumes upon the eastern winds and garlands of pohutukawa upon the eastern tides. The sea flashed continuously with flying fish, leaping high to look beyond the horizon and to be the first to announce the coming; in the shallows, the chameleon sea horses pranced at attention. The only reluctant ones were the fairy people, who retreated with their silver laughter to caves in glistening waterfalls.
The sun rose and set, rose and set. Then one day, at its noon apex, the first sighting was made. A spume on the horizon. A dark shape rising from the greenstone depths of the ocean, awesome, leviathan, breaching through the surface and hurling itself skyward before falling seaward again. Underwater the muted thunder boomed like a great door opening far away, and both sea and land trembled from the impact of that downward plunging.
Suddenly the sea was filled with awesome singing, a song with eternity in it, a song to the land:
You have called and I have come,
bearing the gift of the Gods.
The dark shape rising, rising again. A whale, gigantic. A sea monster. Just as it burst through the sea, a flying fish leaping high in its ecstasy saw water and air streaming like thunderous foam from that noble beast and knew, ah yes, that the time had come. For the sacred sign was on the monster, a swirling tattoo imprinted on the forehead.
Then the flying fish saw that astride the head, as it broke skyward, was a man. He was wondrous to look upon, the whale rider. The water streamed away from him and he opened his mouth to gasp in the cold air. His eyes were shining with splendor. His body dazzled with diamond spray. Upon that beast he looked like a small tattooed figurine, dark brown, glistening, and erect. He seemed, with all his strength, to be pulling the whale into the sky.
Rising, rising. And the man felt the power of the whale as it propelled itself from the sea. He saw far off the land long sought and now found, and he began to fling small spears seaward and landward on his magnificent journey toward the land.
Some of the spears in midflight turned into pigeons, which flew into the forests. Others, on landing in the sea, changed into eels. And the song in the sea drenched the air with ageless music, and land and sea opened themselves to him, the gift long waited for: tangata, man. With great gladness and thanksgiving, the man cried out to the land,
Karanga mai, karanga mai, karanga mai.
Call me. But there was one spear, so it is told, the last, that, when the whale rider tried to throw it, refused to leave his hand. Try as he might, the spear would not fly.
So the whale rider uttered a prayer over the wooden spear, saying, "Let this spear be planted in the years to come, for there are sufficient spear already implanted. Let this be the one to flower when the people are troubled and it is most needed."
And the spear then leaped from his hands with gladness and soared through the sky. It flew across a thousand years. When it hit the earth, it did not change but waited for another hundred and fifty years to pass until it was needed.
The flukes of the whale stroked majestically at the sky.
Hui e, haumi e, taiki e.
Let it be done.
© 1987 Witi Ihimaera
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Requests for permission to make copies of any part of the work
should be mailed to the following address: Permissions Department, Harcourt, Inc., 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, Orlando, Florida 32887-6777.
First published in New Zealand in 1987 by Reed Books, a division
of Reed Publishing (NZ) Ltd, 39 Rawene Rd, Birkenhead, Auckland
First U.S. edition 2003
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Product details
Age Range: 10 and up
Grade Level: 4 - 6
Paperback: 152 pages
Publisher: Harcourt (May 1, 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0152050167
ISBN-13: 978-0152050160
Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.5 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 5.9 ounces
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Customer Reviews: 4.5 out of 5 stars178 customer ratings
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Customer Reviews: 4.5 out of 5 stars178 customer ratings
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Customer reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
178 customer ratings
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Read reviews that mention
whale rider new zealand witi ihimaera nanny flowers koro apirana maori people let it be done uncle rawiri maori culture saw the movie maori tribe young girl wife nanny new guinea highly recommend male heir keisha castle-hughes niki caro well written beautifully written
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Top Reviews
Daniel Gamboa
4.0 out of 5 stars "Join everything together, bind it together, let it be done"
Reviewed in the United States on October 1, 2015
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The Whangara people, a Maori tribe in New Zealand, is traditionally guided by a man. Nevertheless, this tradition is threatened when Koro's first-born great grandchild, Kahu, is a girl. Koro, leader of the tribe, is crushed by this fact, and repudiates the devoted love of Kahu and refuses to see the signs that shows she is the one.
I watched the film adaptation when it came out in 2002, and I loved it. I even own the soundtrack of the film by Lisa Gerrard, which I listen now and then. After 15 years since the movie came out, I decided to read the book. I had had my doubts beforehand because some reviewers claimed that this was one of those cases where the film was better than the book, but I can honestly say that the book is worth reading. The film is visually and musically spellbinding, but the book provides the necessary background to fully appreciate the myth and legend behind it.
Rawiri, the uncle, is the narrator of the story, to the point that the book seems to be about both Kahu (Paikea in the film) and Rawiri himself. Kahu's dad plays a secondary role in the book, while in the film he is an important character. There is even a chapter about Rawiri in Australia and Papua New Guinea, which was very intesting, but made me wonder why the book had taken that direction and why the story of Kahu had taken a sudden break.
I would say the book is split in three parts. The slow beginning, where we read about Kahu's birth and her grandfather's reluctance to see "the signs". The interesting middle part, where we read about Maori people in Australia and Rawiri in Papua New Guinea. Finally, the passionate last chapters, where Kahu shows why she is "the one".
This is my second book by Witi Ihimaera, and it will not be my last one.
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KTS Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars You've got to read this book!
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2019
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The Whale Rider is definitely in my top ten list of all-time favorite books. I absolutely adore everything about it, and really do think there’s something everyone can relate to in this story. If you’ve ever felt discriminated against because of your gender, this is the book for you. If you feel like you’re losing your cultural identity in the informational age, this is the book for you. If you’ve tasted the sting of racism, this is the book for you. If you come from a dysfunctional family, or know what it’s like to love someone who doesn’t love you back, this is the book for you.
Or if you’re like me, and felt like you could relate to most if not all of these topics, then you really need to read this! I felt like I could relate to the narrator, Rawiri, as he travels throughout the world to find himself. I love his relationship with Kahu, and how he and Nanny Flowers try so hard to fill the gap her negligent grandfather has left in her life. And of course Kahu’s unfailing tenacity makes her a protagonist you really want to cheer for.
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E A Fow
5.0 out of 5 stars Penetrating and Beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2013
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Many people have seen the beautiful movie Whale Rider, but like most of them, I hadn't had a chance to read Witi Ihimaera's stunning book. I've loved Ihimaera's writing for decades now, and the smooth, lyrical story telling of his young adult novel is more proof of his mastery. Starting with the ancestor tale of an East Coast iwi, then moving forward to modern day members of the same group which is disintegrating in post-colonial New Zealand, the novel takes the voice of the Uncle, not Pai, and this unexpected perspective gives the author a lot of room to explore and evoke. I recommend this book highly to anyone wanting to read a moving novel, or to learn about Maori culture, but also to anyone interested in post-colonial indigenous writing. The underlying themes are universal and both distressing and uplifting. The book is also a lengthy exploration of changing gender roles, and questioning the roles of women in an indigenous culture is really important but often difficult. Ihimaera doesn't shy away from big questions, and it is a gift to all of us. On top of all of that, it's just a really beautiful novel, and one I'll reread often.
6 people found this helpful
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NYC Lap Swimmer
5.0 out of 5 stars Poetic, For Adults and Teens
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2014
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This is a beautifully written tale of a young girl destined to save her Maori community from disintegration; told from the point of view of her cousin who gradually comes to understand how special she really is, it is both a cautionary tale of gender bias in traditional communities and a story about the conflict between tradition and modernity. Teens will enjoy it, although it will often send them to the dictionary and to the book's helpful glossary. This is that rare book which can be enjoyed by adults and young people as well--but is especially wonderful as a gift for a girl since girl heroes are so rare. It is the sort of story which can also be read TO children. A must for anyone who loved Niki Caro's movie, but also for readers who like to learn about aboriginal communities. While "The Whale Rider" is fiction, it is suffused with Maori legend and lore. Strong female characters also include Paikea's grandmother. At the end, the writer thoughtfully includes the Maori legend in its original form.
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Kristin
5.0 out of 5 stars Kahu’s journey
Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2019
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This was a truly stunning piece of writing. An uncle tells the tale of Tahu with her relentless spirit and destiny to lead her people. It includes mythology and Maori language and many parts are told from the whale’s perspective- whales that remember nuclear testing and who navigate dangerous, changing waters and relationships with man. The descriptions of the sea and underwater landscapes, the southern lights and the habits and sounds of the whales bring the place vividly to life. All along we know that this girl is the real embodiment of the ancestral Paikea- the first whale rider... she just needs to convince her grandfather.
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Hayek Victoria
5.0 out of 5 stars A book written about man and nature intertwined.
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2018
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After touring New Zealand for many months after arriving by sea crossing all of French Polynesia from Panama and visiting all the islands, I am reminded once again of the strong Maori vulture and their love of the land and sea. An excellent read, full of tradition.
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Holly "Ragdoll Reads" Hodson
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is pure poetry. It is beautiful and you should read it.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 18, 2018
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TL;DR – A story of whales, mythology, history and culture. A must read.
RAGDOLL RATING: Exceptional.
What I thought…
This is the story of Kahu and the whales. Kahu, a young Maori girl, grows up desperate to connect with her grandfather, Koro. She wants nothing more than to learn about Maori culture and win her grandfathers love and respect. But Koro will not have it. But Kahu is destined for great things, and when the great whales come, everything starts to change.
I loved this book. I really don’t know what it was specifically I liked so much about it. Perhaps it was the poetic use of language, the way the Maori language was woven in with the English. Or the beautiful way the story of Paikea was told, and linked artfully into the main story. It could have been the characters, and the interplay between them. It could have been the account of how the people banded together to save a troop of whales. Or it could have been any number of other things.
The point is, I read this book and I loved it. I didn’t love bits of it, I didn’t really like the ending and the rest was a bit naff. I loved all of it, from beginning to end. Something about it just spoke to me on a deeper level than just enjoying the plot. But until I can figure out why that was, I’m going to assume it had something to do with the whales.
Just read it, I can’t promise you’ll like it the same way I did, but it’s certainly worth a try.
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Please note: I am in no way affiliated with the author or publishers. I bought this book with my own money for my own reasons. The opinions contained within are my own and have not been influenced by any external entity!
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John Scott
5.0 out of 5 stars A magical, uplifting story.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2017
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A magical story with feminist overtones. Human interactions with creatures from the sea have been documented for centuries and in many cultures (for example Pliny's story of the boy and the dolphin); and in this story from the Maaori community in New Zealand we see how the girl, rejected as potential leader material by her grandfather simply because she is not male, achieves something which grown men can only dream of, and which links her, and her community, with her Austronesian roots. I don't want to give too much detail, lest it spoil the story for you: but I can really recommend this little book. I couldn't put it down, and finished it in one evening. The one thing which the book did not do quite so well was to give translations of every one of the Maaori words and sentences encountered in the book: but this did not diminish its charm.
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Judy Croome
5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful story of hope and promise
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 21, 2012
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Written in 1987, THE WHALE RIDER is a deceptively short book. Only 120 pages long, it's a richly layered story dealing with several major social issues: family relationships, gender discrimination, generational differences, racial prejudice, loss of the cultural identity of indigenous tribes, ecological conservationism and modern man's disconnection from his spiritual self.
Kahu is a young Maori girl who, from the moment of her birth, had a deep connection with her great-grandfather Koro Apirana, a powerful Maori Chieftan. Custodian of his people's indigenous culture, Koro searches desperately for his successor: a boy who, for the good of all his people, will value and understand the ancient Maori traditions as much as Koro does. Kahu's uncle Rawiri, who narrates most of the story, and her great-grandmother Nanni Flowers, see in Kahu's spirit that which Koro seeks: the soul of the future Chieftan who will lead the Maoris of Whangara into the 21st century. But Kahu is a girl and, in Maori tradition, only men can perform the sacred traditions that keep the Maori people blessed of their gods and their ancestors.
From the delightfully subversive feminist Nanni Flowers to good guy Rawiri who, along with a diverse group of people tried desperately to save 200 beached whales (one of the several scenes in the book which had me sobbing out loud), to the serene, compassionate and otherworldly Kahu, the story is filled with remarkable characters. These include the Old Whale, an ancient sea-creature that has survived for centuries to ensure that Kahu meets her destiny of ensuring that the sacred Maori traditions shall live on into the new century.
The lyrical, almost magical, descriptions of the herd of whales' journeys through the depths of the great oceans contrast beautifully with Rawiri's simple, down-to-earth narrative. The boneless, weightless feel of the writing in the whale scenes recreate both a transcendent spiritual state and the sensation of swimming underwater. From the comical rendition of the constant bickering of Koro Apirana and his wife Nanni Flowers, to the well of emotion that has him spontaneously performing the haka to support Kahu at her school prize-giving, Rawiri's gentle perceptions of his extended Maori family reveal the deep bonds of love and culture holding them together. "Family," he says to his white friend Jeff, "is Family."
Some of the Maori terms were, at times, confusing and the edition I read did not have a glossary of Maori terms, which would have been useful.
This lack, however, did not detract from the lush splendour of THE WHALE RIDER, a beautiful story of hope and promise.
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Sarah Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely Book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 30, 2015
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I really liked this book. I'd seen the film and wanted to go to the original source and read the book. The film had changed the story slightly (as most film adaptations do) and I was a little concerned that this might spoil my enjoyment of the book as I loved the film. I needn't have worried - the book is beautiful. I particularly enjoyed the occasional poetic sections which added a new dimension to my understanding of the story. The book is incredibly well written and Witi Ihimaera is very economical with the words; each word has weight and so the book is relatively short. I read it over three sessions and enjoyed it tremendously.
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De notsew
5.0 out of 5 stars Kahu-Challenging cultural roles!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 3, 2016
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Written by Witi Ihimaera the iconic Maori author. The story begins with the arrival of the first ancestor from Waiiki, the original Whale Rider. But a double narrative allows for the birth of Kahu who unknowingly challenges the traditional role of males within this society. Kahu is born and " we were all looking the other way" - she loves Koro and supported by Nanny Flowers eventually proves she is the leader her koro has been waiting long years for. This is a powerful story challenging the traditional place of women not only in Maori society, for the theme reaches beyond, into the worlds where all women are seen as fitting in lower in the social hierarchy. Kahu is the Whale Rider! A great read which gives one an insight into the cultural forces operating within the Maori world. The glossary of terms makes it at times a challenge for one unfamiliar with the idea of history and myth operating within this culture. However it is a rich and fruitful read.
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