Whale Rider Essay
Whale Rider Essay
“Pai must overcome resistance as she tries to assume her destiny as the leader of a tribe on the NZ coast.” Discuss.
I agree that the story, ‘The Whale Rider’ by Witi Ihimaera is about how a little girl, Pai had to overcome obstacles in her attempt to fulfil her destiny as new chief of her tribe which are the descendants from Paikea, the whale rider. For a thousand years, only the eldest son can succeed this leadership.
First, she has to overcome Koro’s resistance when Koro rejects her at the very start of her birth because she is not a male and so according to the tradition, cannot be the new chief of the tribe. He considers her “of no use to him” and “a disappointment” simply because she is a female. Despite trying to prove herself to Koro, he refuses to accept her. She has to patiently win his love over time.
Next, she has to overcome Koro’s forbidding her to learn the ancient and tribal warrior techniques. He scolds her saying, “You don’t mess around with sacred things!” She trains in secret and quickly learns faster than the other boys in Koro’s training. Pai shows perseverance, persistence, courage and sheer hard work to master the tiaha movements and techniques.
In spite of this resistance, Pai believes that she is destined to be the leader of her tribe. First, she beats the boys in tiaha, showing how capable she is. Then, when the boys fail the final test of recovering the whale tooth, which Koro threw into the sea, and she succeeds and knows that she is special. Next, she is able to call to the whales to help. When Koro calls in despair to the ancestors to help find a new chief, they do not respond. However, Pai calls and deep within the ocean, a pod of whales hears her. This shows her unique connection to the whales. Finally, when the whales are beached and everyone including Koro fail to help them get back to the ocean, Pai is the only one who can speak to the whales and who can ride the whale out to sea and get the
“Pai must overcome resistance as she tries to assume her destiny as the leader of a tribe on the NZ coast.” Discuss.
I agree that the story, ‘The Whale Rider’ by Witi Ihimaera is about how a little girl, Pai had to overcome obstacles in her attempt to fulfil her destiny as new chief of her tribe which are the descendants from Paikea, the whale rider. For a thousand years, only the eldest son can succeed this leadership.
First, she has to overcome Koro’s resistance when Koro rejects her at the very start of her birth because she is not a male and so according to the tradition, cannot be the new chief of the tribe. He considers her “of no use to him” and “a disappointment” simply because she is a female. Despite trying to prove herself to Koro, he refuses to accept her. She has to patiently win his love over time.
Next, she has to overcome Koro’s forbidding her to learn the ancient and tribal warrior techniques. He scolds her saying, “You don’t mess around with sacred things!” She trains in secret and quickly learns faster than the other boys in Koro’s training. Pai shows perseverance, persistence, courage and sheer hard work to master the tiaha movements and techniques.
In spite of this resistance, Pai believes that she is destined to be the leader of her tribe. First, she beats the boys in tiaha, showing how capable she is. Then, when the boys fail the final test of recovering the whale tooth, which Koro threw into the sea, and she succeeds and knows that she is special. Next, she is able to call to the whales to help. When Koro calls in despair to the ancestors to help find a new chief, they do not respond. However, Pai calls and deep within the ocean, a pod of whales hears her. This shows her unique connection to the whales. Finally, when the whales are beached and everyone including Koro fail to help them get back to the ocean, Pai is the only one who can speak to the whales and who can ride the whale out to sea and get the