Ihimaera, Witi "The Whale Rider"

Ihimaera, Witi "The Whale Rider" - 1987

We discussed this in our international online book club in September 2025.

This was a weird book for me. I so wanted to like it because I love stories about ancient times and other cultures. And this is exactly it. But, in my opinion, this is more a book written for those who know the language of the Maori than for those who want to learn about it. Let's not forget, this is supposed to be a children's book. But it is just of foreign language sentences that aren't explained anywhere. No glossary in the end, no footnotes. I hated that and it made me dislike the whole book.

It also took me a long time to get into the book, to be able to follow the characters and the actions. That might have to do with the lack of explanations but if I didn't get it, how is a child supposed to?

Someone on the internet suggests "The Bone People" by Keri Hulme (Goodreads) instead. I shall try to get a look at that one.

However, this was not the opinion of all the members. The book got good remarks on writing, language and flow. Although the characters were not deeply introduced and the plot felt light, the book opened up a wide range of themes to talk about. So, here come their remarks: 

•     The group found it interesting to read about Maori culture and the balance between preserving old traditions, adapting to modern influences, and acknowledging needed changes. This led to reflections on the rights of native peoples, gender equality, and even broader environmental topics like whale hunting, Greenpeace activity in 1980s New Zealand, and the causes of whale strandings (from human activity to natural phenomena) and overall Marine legends and migration patterns.
  
  
•     The group also noted the characters’ travels to Australia and Papua New Guinea, which brought in questions of racial divides between whites, refugees (e.g. from Indonesia), and indigenous peoples.
  
  
•     Stylistically, they felt the story was easy to read, almost poetic. The mix of Maori language, folklore, legend, and nature descriptions gave it a melodic, fairytale-like quality. What was especially enjoyed was the fairytale-like quality of the writing. Looks like the Finnish members had a glossary at the back of their copies — being used to foreign words in text, from living in a small-language country, however, they all chose to take the meaning from context rather than wanting to interrupt the flow of reading to check. I would have welcomed a list like that but my copy didn't have that. I like to look up words I don't know so I know them exactly.
  
  
•     The group agreed the story would be suitable for all ages, despite it being shelved as a book for adults in Finland (not my British copy, the one without the explanations where I think it should include more information). Especially in the 1980s context when books for younger readers were less "polished" of sadness after all stories of a chosen child, who needs to overcome difficulties and prove their worth and right to lead is a common theme in stories for younger readers. If it were written today though, it might be much longer and more graphic in its depictions of whale deaths and cultural conflicts. Instead, the group appreciated Ihimaera's calm, restrained style, which told the story in a minimalistic yet powerful way. 
  
  
• Overall, the group really enjoyed the fairytale style and poetic tone, and found it to be an easy but rewarding read that gave them much to reflect on. None of us had watched the movie based on the book, but thought it might be interesting to do. Usually we try to think of other books we have read that connect to the one we discuss, for this we thought of a few of the fairytales and fantasy we have read, and some of the stories about racial divide in Africa, but none of the club had read anything from the Maori culture before.

One of the descriptions says:

"A mystical story of Maori culture The birth of a daughter, Kahu, breaks the lineage of a Maori tribe. Rejected by her grandfather, Kahu develops the ability to communicate with whales, echoing those of the ancient Whale Rider after whom she was named.

This magical and mythical novel tells of the conflict between tradition and heritage, from the perspective of Kahu's grandfather, and Kahu's destiny to secure the tribe's future. Age 11+ Ideal for studying multi-cultural texts, gender and environmental issues."

From the back cover:

"Eight-year-old Kahu craves her great-grandfather's love and attention. But he is focused on his duties as chief ofa Maori tribe in Whangara, on the East Coast of New Zealand - a tribe that claims descent from the legendary 'whale rider'. In every generation since the whale rider, a male has inherited the title of chief. But now there is no male heir - there's only Kahu. She should be the next in line for the title, but her great-grandfather is blinded by tradition and sees no use for a girl. Kahu will not be ignored. And in her struggle she has a unique ally: the whale rider himself, from whom she has inherited the ability to communicate with whales. Once that sacred gift is revealed, Kahu may be able to re-establish her people's ancestral connections, earn her great-grandfather's attention - and lead her tribe to a bold new future."