Witi Ihimaera
The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera is a young adult novel that tells the story of eight-year-old Kahu, a female descendent of Kahutia Te Rangi, the whale rider.
Kahu is a member of the Maori tribe of Whangara, New Zealand. Her great grandfather, Koro Apirana, is the elderly chief. Desperate to seek a male successor, he pins his hopes on a male great grandchild since Maori tradition stipulates a male heir. So when Kahu is born, he is devastated. Kahu’s determination to earn her great-grandfather’s love is undaunted. She is unsuccessful at gaining his acceptance until that fateful day when hundreds of whales beach themselves and Kahu proves she is the rightful heir of the whale rider.
The narrative is loosely structured with a lengthy digression in which the narrator, Kahu’s uncle, travels to Sydney and Papua Guinea. The digression does little to advance the main story line which is about Kahu’s ascent as the tribe’s whale rider. The diction is simplistic and with minimal character development.
Ihimaera weaves Maori mythology and sprinkles Maori words in the narrative. These lend authenticity to the tale. A Glossary is provided to explain the phrases and words. The novel’s strength lies in the intersection of mythology with reality. It depicts the struggle of the indigenous tribes to maintain traditional belief systems in the face of modernity. Its primary appeal is to a young adult audience who may see it as a heart-warming tale of a young girl’s successful struggle to overcome the challenges of a male-dominated culture.