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Witi Ihimera, The Whale Rider 'When it dies, we die, I die. And if it lives then we live also.' Referring to the relationship between man...

      

Witi Ihimera, The Whale Rider
'When it dies, we die, I die. And if it lives then we live also.' Referring to the relationship between man and the whales in Witi Ihimaera’s, The Whale Rider, write an essay to substantiate the above assertion.

  

Answers


Martin
Introduction
The Whale Rider is a unique story which has two plots running side by side, The author uses parallel plots to narrate two stories that are separate yet related in one way or the other. In one story, we have human beings while in the other the characters are whales. Koro Apirana asserts that if the whales dies, they die and if the whales live they also live; this clearly captures the relationship between man and the whales.
Accept any other relevant introduction. (2 marks)
Content
i) The prologue: The Whale Rider
- The maori myth explains the harmony at the beginning of time without human beings.
- Suddenly a gigantic whale broke out of the depth of the sea. The whale had a sacred tattoo imprinted on its forehead pg 3-4
- A man was riding the whale. The whale rider had spears which he threw.
- One spear however, refused to leave his hand and only did so after he had said a prayer pg 5 ‘ and flukes of the whales stroked majestically at the sky.
- The myth highlights that man and the whales are related right from the beginning of time.
- Kahutaha Te Rangi (Paikea) arrives in Whangara-riding through the sea stride his whale and he brought with him the life-giving forces which would enable the Maori to live in close communion with the world pg 23
- They were given instructions on how man might talk with the beasts and creatures of the sea, so that all could live in helpful partnership. They taught one ness pg 23.

ii) Bonding of man and the whale.
-In a flashback, the ancient bull whale recollects the memories of his birth and eventual bonding with his master, Paikea. ‘While at the valdes peninsula, the bull whale….. and his close, and loving relationship with…. Paikea’ pg 8-9
- When the herd travelled onward, the young whale remained and grew under the tutelage of his master pg 8
- In a melter of sonics…his master’s flute’ pg
- Then one days, his master impetuously mounted him and become the whale rider pg. 20-21

iii) The Whales; special place
- The whales has always held a special place the order of things, even before those times of Paikea. Pg 31-32.
- They are considered as the ancestor of the tribe and has always helped man pg 31,40,92,96.
- Lord Tangoroa and Lord Tane established by them the close kinship of man with the inhabitants of the ocean and land with dea. This was thr first communion.
- The sharks and whales was greatful for this release and this was why the whale was family, the Wehenga- Kauiki, become known as the helpers of men.
- When Paikea asked his whale to carry him to our land, it was done.
- Some people say that the whale was later transformed into an island and the descendants of Paikea paid homage to their ancesters and the whale island. Pg 31-32. 90-91.
- When the whales strand themselves in Whangara, Koro appeals to the sacred one, ‘Haveyou come to die or live….pg 92. The whale is a sign. If it live. Not only its salvation but ours….pg94

iv) Fishing
- Man has always endavoured to live in harmony with Tangaroa’s kingdom and the guardians therein.
- We have made offerings to the sea god… called upon our gurdians whenever we are in need of help’ pg 38, 31.
- Fishing was considered sacred and fishing grounds become steeped in special rituals to ensure their bounty pg32
- Women did not go out for fishing and no food is carried in the boats because of the sacred nature of the tasks. Pg 32., 38
- The fishing areas have always been placed under the protective custody of the gurdians. Pg 38.
- At no time did they ever try to overfish for fear of bringing retribution pg 38
- Whenever man wished to cross the border….respect were employed between man and sea’ pg32.

v) Communication with the whales
- Paikea was given power to talk to whales and to command them. In this way, man, beasts and gods lived in close communion with one another ‘once, our world was one where the gods talked to our ancestors and man talked with gods pg 93.
- However man assumed a cloak of arrogance and drove a wedge through the original oneness of the world.
- Story of the whales harpoon pg40-41
- Commercialization and whaling leads to strain relationship between man and the whale. Pg 80.
- Kahu’s connections with the whales shows the once good relationship with the whales pg 41,42,94. Kahu still has the ability to communicate with the whales pg 72-73,101-107
- Koro’s remarks on pg 98 ‘our ancestors wants to die’. There is no place for it here in this world. When it dies, we die I die. And if it lives me alive also.’ Pg 99
vi) Saving the stranded whales
- The stranding of the whales at wainui and Whangara alarms everybody and all efforts are made to save them pg 79-85
- ‘This is like seeing the end of the world’…… two hundred whales……waiting to die’ p 79.
- It was a sequence of human butchery… triggered feelings of sorrow and anger among the people on the coast’ pg 80 ‘All of us were…… forever bonded by our experience with the stranded whales. Pg 83, 85-86.
- All participated in saving the whales but they kept dying pg 94.
- By evening all the whales at Wainui- two hundred whales had died pg 85.
- On the day following death of two hundred whales at winui beach, the bull whale, finally leads his charge to the beach at Whangara.
- Koro Apiraina and the men do their best to return it to the sea. They fail, clearly, the whale wants to die.’ You have all seen the whale’ ‘The whale is a sign. The whale must be returned to the sea. Pg 94-95 96-98
- Kahu asks why Koro Apirauna is so worried. He replies that the fates of the whales and that of the people of whangara are intertwined. If the whales die, the people will also die pg 94-95,9

vii) Epilogue: The girl from the sea.

- Kahutia sneaks out into the sea and swims towards the whales pg 100.
- She is able to talk to and convince the sacred whale to return to the sea, she rides the whale to the deep sea as the rest of the herds follow. Pg 102-107
- Kahu is preparing herself for the last stages of her journey and prays for the good health of the people for whose welfare she has sacrificed her life pg 104-105.’let the people live, she ordered.
- Kahutia and the whales are now deep under the surface of the sea when the mother whale realizes that young girl riding their leader is not the old master, but rather the spear that had remained in her husbands hand, which was destined to be planted and flavor in the future. Pg106-111
- She is able to convince the ancient bull that in order to propagate paikea’s line of descendants, they must rescue the young girl pg 110-115
- On realization that the new rider is a descendant of Paikea, the ancient whale bull focuses on the present and future. It could could not have been coincidence thst he should return to Whangara and be ridden by…. Perhaps his fate and that of the rider on top of him were inextricably intertwined?.......p. 115
-The ancient bull whale gave a swift gesture and ordered the return of this new rider back to Whangara as the herd sang a song of agreement in an orchestral affirmation to the universe.
- The whales return kahu to the shore and she is rescued.
- The ancient bull whale makes a proclamation on learning that the rider was okay. ‘Then let the partnership between land and sea, whales and all humankind also remain pg 119.
- The whale herd sang their gladness that the tribe would also live because they knew that the girl would need to be carefully taught before she could claim the place for her people in the world pg 119.

Conclusion

It is clear that the survival of the whales also means the survival of the tribe. The fate of the whales and that of the people of Whangara are intertwined. If the whales die, the people will also die.
marto answered the question on June 11, 2019 at 07:53


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