What is the story of Whale Rider?
What is the story of Whale Rider?
Only males are allowed to ascend to chiefdom in a Maori tribe in New Zealand. This ancient custom is upset when the child selected to be the next chief dies at birth. However his twin sister, Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes), survives. At age 12, she enlists the help of her grandmother (Vicky Haughton) and the training of her uncle (Grant Roa) to claim her birthright. But to break with convention, she’ll have to do the impossible: win over her ultra-traditional grandfather (Rawiri Paratene).
Whale Rider/Film synopsis
How many chapters are in the Whale Rider?
It is almost too late when after the stranding of whales on their home beach, he finally realises that Kahu is indeed the rightful heir to lead the people. The detailed text is divided into four chapters, making it best suited to older children.
How does Whale Rider end?
When Pai is found and brought to the hospital, Koro declares her the leader and asks for her forgiveness. The film ends with Pai’s father, grandparents, and uncle coming together to celebrate her status as the new leader, as the finished waka is hauled into the sea for its maiden voyage.
What does the whale tooth symbolism in Whale Rider?
The whale tooth is a representation of the Maori people who shaped and built their religion and community, as well as being a representation of Paikea and many other traits that would be needed by a chief, many of which, Paikea has.
Who is the narrator in the Whale Rider?
| Whale Rider | |
|---|---|
| Based on | The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera |
| Produced by | John Barnett Frank Hübner Tim Sanders |
| Starring | Keisha Castle-Hughes Rawiri Paratene Vicky Haughton Cliff Curtis |
| Narrated by | Keisha Castle-Hughes |
Who is the narrator of the Prologue in the Whale Rider?
The book’s narrator, Kahu’s uncle Rawiri, then explains that the tribe’s first chief and ancestor, Kahutia Te Rangi, who is also called Paikea, came to their land on the back of a whale, making him the whale rider.
What is the plot of the Whale Rider?
‘The Whale Rider’ is a story about a Maori girl named Kahu, who dreams of being the chief of her tribe. However, in Maori culture, only men can be chief. The story shifts between the present day and a thousand years ago.
What is the significance of the Whale Rider in Maori culture?
The biggest whale, the founder of Maori culture, has a special relationship with the whale rider, a young man who sits upon its back. The book’s narrator, Kahu’s uncle Rawiri, then explains that the tribe’s first chief and ancestor, Kahutia Te Rangi, who is also called Paikea, came to their land on the back of a whale, making him the whale rider.
What is the symbiotic relationship between the Whale Rider and his whale?
One relationship in particular — that between the whale rider and his giant whale — was exemplary of a symbiotic connection. This whale rider casts spears as life-giving objects to the islands, but one spear he casts 1000 years into the future, which is the time of the story’s young heroine Kahu.
What are the origins of Kahu’s tribe in the Whale Rider?
The Origins of Kahu’s Tribe. The Whale Rider starts a thousand years ago, with a pod of whales. The biggest whale, the founder of Maori culture, has a special relationship with the whale rider, a young man who sits upon its back. The book’s narrator, Kahu’s uncle Rawiri, then explains that the tribe’s first chief and ancestor, Kahutia Te Rangi,…
