World Lit Wednesday: THE WHALE RIDER by Witi Ihimaera

ISBN: 9780790009315 [UK]

Continent: Australasia

Country: New Zealand

Title: The Whale Rider

Author: Witi Ihimaera

"Kahu looked at Koro Apirana, her eyes shining. 'Oh, Paka, can't you hear them? I've been listening to them for ages now. Oh, Paka, and the whales are still singing,' she said" (Page 150).

Eight-year-old Kahutia Te Rangi loves her great-grandfather, Koro Apirana, dearly. Koro Apirana, however, has no time for her. As chief of their Maori tribe, he is busy trying to recruit the next tribal leader from among the community's young boys. And besides, he hates the fact that his first great-grandchild was born a girl, and that her parents named her after the tribe's legendary hero, Paikea, the Whale Rider.

Though everyone else in the family can sense that there is something special about Kahu, Koro Apirana cannot see past the fact that Kahu is a girl. "Go away," he tells her, "You are of no use to me" (page 82). Thus, Koro Apirana is blind to the signs that Kahu's destiny is linked not only to the tribe's sacred animal, the whale, but to the survival of the tribe itself.

When whales begin to beach themselves on the shore near the town, it becomes clear that someone must do something drastic, and something very dangerous, to save them.

I think this is a beautiful little book, with some great messages about the danger of preconceptions, the beauty of nature, the importance of family, and the power of love. The novel is narrated by Rawiri, Kahu's lovable, good natured uncle. I think this is a wise choice because it gives us a voice from within the tribe, but with enough distance to get a good look at the three main characters--Kahu, Koro Apirana, and Kahu's great-grandmother, Nanny Flowers.

One thing I love about this novel is its plentiful humor, which balances out the sadness of Koro Apirana not returning Kahu's adoration. Nanny Flowers is a wonderfully funny character, riding around on the back of Rawiri's motorcycle, forever threatening to divorce Koro Apirana, and calling him "paka" ("bugger"), which Kahu picks up and uses as a term of endearment.

The only thing I didn't like about the novel was its brevity. I felt it could have been longer, more in depth, and more detailed. Other than that, it's a nice little read that left me feeling hopeful, if a bit tearful.

3.5/5