Laci Lynn
Introduction
This 3-4 week curriculum unit for my freshman English class will be supplemental to the study of the novel The Whale Rider (1987) by Witi Ihimaera. This novel, which received some global attention after it was adapted for film in 2002, describes a village quite distant from the United States being set in Whangara, a small community on the eastern coast of New Zealand’s northern island. The story is also deeply situated in the culture and history of the Māori people, the Indigenous residents of New Zealand, or what the Māori call Aeotarea. Teaching this book may seem daunting in a United States classroom, where so little typically is known about New Zealand or the Māori people. But I think that the payoffs of teaching this very moving and beautiful story can be significant. It is a coming-of-age story about the relationship between individual and community, a story about humans and nature, and an account of two people — a grandfather and granddaughter — finding their way to a closer connection despite the challenges of tradition and modernity.
My goals for this unit are two-fold: first, I will teach students about Māori culture to provide context for them to understand the book better; second, I will use this novel as a case study for exploring the relationship between individual identity and community tradition.
I have approached this curriculum with the intention of being an informed teacher who asks what it means to teach this novel in a classroom in the United States. I hope this curriculum provides teachers with the background information needed to teach this unit to your students who are also in the process of defining themselves as individuals and who are members of communities with their own traditions, feeling tension with those traditions and expectations. Perhaps students will also find ways to contribute to their communities in the future.
The guiding question for this unit is: In what ways do people shape their sense of self and life purpose by engaging with and diverging from the traditions within their communities? I have kept this question broad but also narrowed it around examining the role of tradition. I want my students to be able to see themselves in this question, which is why I did not specify traditions within families, religions, cultures, or ethnic groups. Students will be able to grapple with this question in the culminating activity, a reflective essay in which students compare traditions in their own lives to the character experiences in The Whale Rider.
Teaching Situation and Rationale
I teach at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is ranked the best magnet high school in Oklahoma and second in the state for best public high schools.
The total minority enrollment at Booker T. Washington High School is nearly 70%. The demographics are as follows: 30.4% White, 28.4% Black, 25.1% Hispanic, 2.6% Asian, 3.8% American Indian, and 9.8% of more than one race. The school takes pride in its mission of providing an academically rigorous education within an environment of multicultural diversity, which inspired me to create a curriculum for students to explore another culture rich in history and tradition.
Booker T. was chosen in 1973 as the vehicle for Tulsa’s school desegregation program and continues to promote excellence and acceptance of diversity. My classes are racially and ethnically diverse, coming from different walks of life, but almost none of them are Maori. The Whale Rider is a text that is equally foreign to all my students. My task as a teacher is to make this text accessible to them, so I have focused the unit on a study of Maori culture. This topic will be a step towards filling a diversity gap in the existing class curriculum. It is pertinent that students are exposed to literature from different parts of the world and different cultures.
I am a new teacher at Booker T. Washington High School. During my first few months of teaching here, I was very intrigued by how deeply the students and alumni of this school feel about being a Hornet (the school mascot). The school pride is something unlike any other high school I have been a part of; I have heard from countless freshmen who have expressed feelings of gratitude for having been accepted to BTW. There is an expectation of excellence that is known by the students and the majority feel driven to rise to the occasion. I have met strangers whose eyes lit up when I told them I teach here because they are so proud to share that they, too, are hornets. It has led me to wonder – what makes this school so special? Why are alumni still so invested in the school decades later? I believe the answer is that Booker T. Washington High School celebrates the individual and the community — students bring their unique perspectives and cultures and are celebrated for what makes them different. When Booker T. students first join “the hive”, they understand that they are signing up to become “a Hornet,” and they fully embrace the pride and traditions. But they are still encouraged to fully lean into what makes them uniquely themselves. It is a group effort to continue excellence. This is another inspiration behind the writing of my curricular unit. This curricular unit explores the relationship between individual identity and community tradition, which fits this phase of life that my students are currently in. The guiding question of my unit, which explores how engaging with and diverging from the traditions within one’s community shapes a person’s sense of self and life purpose, aligns with the unique culture and traditions at Booker T. Washington High School.
Unit Content
This unit centers around the study of Māori culture, focusing on the tension between individual and community through the study of one central text: The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera. It tells the story of a young girl, Kahu, born into a New Zealand Māori community. Kahu’s grandfather, Kohu Apirana, a Maori tribe chief, is disappointed when he learns of her birth because he is in desperate search of a male heir to carry on the traditions of their tribe. The struggle in the story is over Kahu feeling called to fill this role traditionally held by a man, and her grandfather is unwilling to see her talents because she is a girl. Kahu is a direct descendant of Paikea, though. But, because she is a girl, Koro will not hear of it. He cannot accept that Kahu might become the next Whale Rider. This is explained at the beginning of the book: “The trouble was that Koro Apirana could not reconcile his traditional beliefs about Maori leadership and rights with Kahu’s birth. By Maori custom, leadership was hereditary, and normally, the mantle of prestige fell from the eldest son to the eldest son. Except that, in this case, there was an eldest daughter” (1). It is the story of a young girl trying to win her great-grandfather’s love and acceptance, but also of adjusting expectations about traditional gendered roles while reinvigorating a community’s commitment to its own traditions.
At the simplest level, it is a story of a girl who succeeds at saving the sacred whales, and through this, she can bring new life to the rigid traditions of her tribe. This is the case study my students will use as a lens to view their own lives – which will allow them to ask how they can bring new life to traditions that exist in their lives. My students are in that part of life where they are figuring out who they are. They are at the quintessential coming-of-age point in life and are exploring what they think of the world around them. They are developing into self-sufficient and self-actualized adults. I want this curriculum to aid them in this journey and help them as they explore their life purpose. That is why I have chosen to focus this unit on tradition, which will help them explore in their own minds how much they adhere to the traditions around them. They will explore traditions in their communities and whether or not they want to continue to adhere to them or revise elements of them as Kahu does in The Whale Rider. They are in a time of life where they are figuring out their own values and forging a path for themselves. This curriculum is unique in that it opens lines of communication for young teenagers to negotiate between the influence of community traditions and the need for personal growth and autonomy.
Part One: Maori History and Culture through Visuals and Maps
Teaching this novel effectively for a United States classroom audience requires students to understand Māori culture. The best way to do this is to use visuals like paintings, maps, and videos to familiarize students with a new culture and its rich history.
Before starting the book, students will dive into the history and culture of the Māori people. The first activity will consist of the teacher walking classes through a presentation that displays various maps, paintings, and videos to give students context of where the story takes place. Below is an organized list, in chronological order, of different visuals I have on each slide in the presentation. Please refer to the references for a link to my presentation that is available for any teacher to use. [DT1]
Haka
I have selected Haka performance videos as my first visual aid of the unit because it is an engaging and interactive activity that connects directly to the themes and motifs explored in The Whale Rider. I will first explain to students that they will watch videos (found on YouTube) of the haka, a traditional dance with significant cultural and historical meaning in Maori culture. Showing the videos will serve three purposes: haka performances are exciting and visceral experiences that will serve as an interest hook for students. Second, the haka is a tradition deeply rooted in Maori culture, which makes it a perfect transition to start the conversation about the role of tradition. Third, the haka represents the Maori community and identity because it is a performance passed down through generations.
In the film Whale Rider, Koro teaches the young boys how to perform a haka. This scene starts around the 48-minute mark. Koro tells the boys, “When you extend your tongue, you’re saying to your enemies, ‘I’m going to eat you. Your eyes will rock back. Your head will be stuck on the end of my stick.’” Then he encourages the boys to feel the ihi (the power) and make their enemies feel the wehi (the fear). The enemies should feel the hairs on the backs of their necks stand up when they are in the presence of a haka. He tells the boys to pound and scratch their chests so hard during the haka that they make their skin bleed.
I will provide background information about the haka, explaining how it is usually performed in a group and involves chanting, foot stamping, hand movements, and expressive facial gestures (2). The haka is the embodiment of tradition – a traditional dance that has been performed for hundreds of years. Maoris perform it today to keep the tradition alive, but it has evolved over time. It was originally performed on the battlefield to display a tribe’s strength and unity and serve as an energizer before a war (3). A certain level of tension exists around traditions – without pushing back against traditions or adjusting them with time, they will die out and be forgotten. But if you take the meaning from a tradition in an attempt to make it fit with the ages, then you lose the authenticity and its power.
As I show the videos, I will explain that the haka is regularly performed in the workplace, schools, weddings, funerals, and birthdays. Performing a haka was a customary way to welcome visiting tribes and to inspire warriors going into battle. It is described as a show of “physical prowess but also an embodiment of cultural pride, strength, and unity” (4).
The first video I will show is “All Blacks on the Haka” by All Blacks (5). I will play the video in its entirety because it provides valuable information about the haka, its tradition and displays the New Zealand rugby team performing it. They will examine the physical aspects of the performance, the facial expressions, gestures—how is this communicating a message? The second video I will show is the “Traditional Maori Haka Performance for March on Washington 50th Anniversary” by PBS NewsHour (6). I will scroll through this video and pause at places pointing out their traditional clothing, the tattoos on the face, and the chants. I will explain the name of the facial markings are called Tā moko. I will ask students to consider how this performance reflects Māori cultural values and beliefs. How does it contrast the first video of the rugby team performing? How does this make you think about the push-and-pull of tradition and modernity?
The third video is “New Zealand MP performs haka in powerful maiden speech” by The Independent (7). I will play the first minute or two and explain that the video shows a haka performance by a Maori woman, the youngest member of the New Zealand parliament. I will ask my students how this performance of the haka reflects Māori cultural values. How is it different from the performance of the rugby team?
The final video I will show is of a group of New Zealand students, many of them physically presenting as Māori people, who are performing a haka to honor the victims of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooting (8). I will explain the background of the mass shooting, which killed more than fifty people and injured forty. The violence is believed to have been motivated by white supremacist beliefs. This haka has a completely different tone than the first three, as it is full of sadness and mourning. I will ask my students to contemplate how the haka performed after the Christchurch shooting and how they communicated differently than the All Blacks haka before a game. This video also provides an example of young men and women performing the same haka, but with different physical gestures that are clearly gendered.
Watching videos of haka performances will spark conversations about how performing the haka has evolved over time, which sparks the topic of the push-and-pull between tradition and modernity, which is a repeated motif in the book. Students should examine how the haka conveys a message. I might recommend using an online discussion board feature or hosting a classroom discussion. In the film Whale Rider, Koro teaches the young boys how to do a haka around the 48-minute mark, in case a teacher is interested in showing this clip.
A Global Map of New Zealand
The next visual aid will be a global map that shows New Zealand in relation to other continents, including Australia, Africa, and Asia. I will also use Google Maps to show the distance from our location in the United States. Many ninth-grade students cannot picture New Zealand’s location on a map. I will start off with a large map to help them see its proximity to Australia and Papua New Guinea. In The Whale Rider, Uncle Rawiri moves to these countries in chapters ten and eleven. This map will also orient them with the location in preparation for a discussion of the migration of the Maori people to this area in the Pacific Ocean.
A Map of New Zealand
I will use an online map from Google Maps to give students the context of where the story takes place. New Zealand is a series of islands located 1,250 miles southeast of Australia in the South Pacific Ocean. It is a former British colony. As I show them this map, I will explain that Aotearoa is the Māori-language name for New Zealand. It is roughly translated as “land of the long white cloud” (9)/ Teachers should listen to a pronunciation clip online before teaching this lesson. Students need to pronounce Aoterora correctly. I will point out where Whangara (the small village in The Whale Rider where Kahu and her family reside) is located on the map.
There is a deep connection between Māori culture, the land, and the stories passed down through generations. The novel describes the moment that The Whale Rider, Kahutia Te Rangi, arrived near their village on his whale:
“Kahutia Te Rani landed at Ahuahu, just outside our village, in the early hours of the morning. To commemorate his voyage he was given another name, Paikea. At the time of landfall the star Poututerangi was just rising above our sacred mountain, Hikurangi. The landscape reminded Paikea of his birthplace back in Hawaiki so he named his new home Whangara Mai Tawhiti, which we call Whangara for short” (10).
This passage depicts the naming of the village, inspired by the tribe’s ancestor birthplace in Hawaiki. It reflects the significance of ancestral ties and the importance of land in Maori identity. Students explore the relationship between individual identity and community tradition in this unit. I will share this quote from the novel immediately after showing the New Zealand map and ask: how does this passage demonstrate the guiding question of the unit — In what ways do people shape their sense of self and life purpose by engaging with and diverging from the traditions within their communities?
Māori Language Chart and Interactive Pronunciation Website
Māori is the native language of New Zealand. It is spoken by the Māori people and expresses their culture, heritage, and identity. Its usage upholds tradition. The Maori language is pertinent to understanding The Whale Rider because several text sections are written in Maori, and language is a large part of Maori tradition.
Before reading The Whale Rider, it is important to have a general understanding or printed guide of Māori word pronunciation. I recommend using a short presentation to practice with students. I found a great resource written by the University of Otago in New Zealand (11).
This slide will include a link to a website with an interactive feature for reviewing the Māori alphabet, including the vowels (long and short), consonants, consonants with vowels, and a few Māori words (12). Users can click on the boxes to hear the pronunciation. I will explain to students that The Māori language is known as te reo Māori or simply te reo (the language). English is the primary language, but around 4% of New Zealanders speak Te Reo (13). I will give students access to this website and encourage them to explore the language and listen to the audio clips to familiarize themselves. I will pose questions such as: why is it important to know how to pronounce a language correctly?
Māori Language Class Photograph
I will use a photo of young students at Thorndon School in Wellington (the capital city of New Zealand) that shows them learning the Māori language (14). This photo depicts a small class of young children smiling brightly as they listen attentively to what is assumed to be a Māori language educational presentation. This photograph will allow students to understand the importance of language to an indigenous community and should generate class discussion. While I show the photos, I will pose questions to my students to answer in their notes: Why do cultures want to preserve their native language?
I will share with students a general summary of the colonial history, including the fact that the Māori language was no longer allowed to use in schools. There is now an intentional effort by the New Zealand government to teach the language in schools again. The revitalization of indigenous languages is essential for ensuring the continuation and transmission of culture, customs, and history (15). According to the United Nations’ “Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,” “Saving indigenous languages is crucial to ensure the protection of the cultural identity and dignity of indigenous peoples and safeguard their traditional heritage.”
The official languages of New Zealand are English and Māori, but due to Māori being banned in New Zealand schools in the late nineteenth century, very few natives are fluent (16). There has been significant language loss, but very promising revitalization movements are underway. In fact, the New Zealand government has put many programs in place that have set goals and provided a framework to the education system that supports the Māori language. Goals outlined in the “Ministry of Education” include that by 2040, one million (or more) New Zealanders will have the ability and confidence to talk about at least basic things in the Māori language (17).
Introducing the Māori language will help students before diving into The Whale Rider. The language is particularly important to one character in the novel: Koro. He hosts classes to teach the younger generation of Māorimen the language and to keep their traditions alive. When discussing this part of the novel and introducing the photo, we will discuss these questions: What challenges have Māori communities faced in reclaiming and revitalizing their language? How does this relate to the adherence to and diversion from tradition?
Maori People Photographs
Seeing the Maori people will provide a visual image of the people they will learn about as they read The Whale Rider. I will use this part of the presentation to provide key facts necessary to understand Maori culture. The first photo depicts a group of men dressed in traditional Māori attire and covered in traditional tattoos (18). I will elaborate further on the Tā moko (tattoos) and explain that they’re considered sacred and reflect a person’s ancestry and identity. I will include on this slide the following fact: Māori are Indigenous Polynesian people of Aotearoa, who arrived around the 1300s and currently constitute 15% of the country’s population. I will also explain that there are currently over 100 iwi (tribes) in Aoterora/New Zealand. This will help them understand the diversity of the Māori tribes. They will learn about various tribes in The Whale Rider, but specifically focus on the tribe whose ancestor is Paikea, The Whale Rider.
The next photo is of another group of Māori people. I will share that the traditional form of greeting is called the hongi, which entails two individuals pressing their noses and foreheads up against one another and sharing the breath of life together (19). This greeting is depicted several times in the film Whale Rider.
I will also include a photo of a young actress from the film. I will explain that her name is Kahu in the book, but it is changed to Paikea in the movie adaptation. This will keep students on track as they prepare for a novel study while learning about Māori culture.
Map of Polynesian Migration
This map will provide historical context for the Maori arrival to the area (20). Students will examine this map and learn key facts that are pertinent to understanding Maori history and their migration to the Polynesian triangle. I will share that the Maori people are considered Polynesian and settled in the area of the Pacific Ocean, generally referred to as the ‘Polynesian triangle’ between 1200 and 1300 AD (21). They were considered experts in knowledge of seafaring canoe construction and had an incredible ability to navigate the sea without the aid of anything beyond the naked eye. Experts describe these voyages as people with unmatched bravery and sailing skills (22). I will explain this migration took place over thousands of years, and point out on the map how Polynesians originated from Southeast Asia and settled on islands throughout the pacific. This migration of people created the Maori culture that we are currently studying.
Sketches of Wakas (canoes) from the late 1700s
I will include two sketches of the canoes that the ancestors of the Maori used to sail from eastern Polynesia to New Zealand. I want this sketch to be directly after the migration map so that students can visualize how these people were navigating the ocean. The first sketch is from 1790 and depicts a double-hulled waka (canoe) sailing with more than a dozen people aboard (23). I will point out the design and structure and explain how the design provides stability to navigate rough seas. The second sketch from 1769 depicts a carved waka taua, or war canoe (24). I will point out the elaborate carvings on the sides and ask students to think about the deep symbolism that may be present in the markings. I will explain that oftentimes, the carvings tell a story of a tribe’s ancestry.
The tradition of wakas continues today and is frequently used in cultural events and ceremonies. A ceremonial waka riding is shown at the very end of the film Whale Rider. The waka holds great importance for the Maori people as an actual object, an instrument, and a symbol. “Waka” is the Maori word for a canoe, but the word “canoe” does not fully do justice to this sea vessel. The Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology explains, “Without question, the greatest material artifact of the ancient Polynesians is their canoe. These double-hulled, outrigger canoes, measuring up to thirty meters in length, could carry up to three hundred people and their cargo.” Students have the visual of the sketch from the presentation as a visual aid.
Painting Depicting the Signing of the Treaty of Waitangi of 1840
This painting depicts the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi of 1840 (25). I will tell students that this was a significant event in New Zealand’s history. It was an agreement between the British Crown and Maori that was drafted to create unity. More than 500 Maori chiefs signed it. The signing of this treaty represents a pivotal moment in history where Maori identity and culture intersected with European colonization. As they examine the painting, I will point out the different groups of people present in the painting, including the Maori chiefs in traditional attire and British officials in Western clothing. I will discuss the contrast between the dress of the two groups of people, highlighting the cultural and power dynamics at play. I will encourage my students to examine the painting closely and consider what message it communicates.
The signing of the Treaty of Waitangi shapes the life experiences of the characters in The Whale Rider. In chapter eleven, Rawiri talks about how the Māori struggled to negotiate their identity and cultural values within a colonial context. The narrator explains the difficulty of the journey because “it had to be undertaken within European terms of acceptability. We were a minority and much of our progress was dependent on European goodwill.” I will ask students to consider how themes of identity, tradition and community are reflected in the painting and this passage from the novel.
Map of Māori land loss from 1860-1939
After students have learned briefly about the colonization of New Zealand, I will present a map of Māoriland loss from 1860-1939 to give them a visual understanding of how colonization has affected indigenous people (26). I will point to the map of 1860 (twenty years after the Treaty of Waitangi) and discuss how prominent the dark red is, which means a majority of the land was owned by the native Māori people. We will look at how the Māori people progressively lost land ownership. I will emphasize the implications that this dispossession has for Māori communities in terms of their identity, culture and way of life. In The Whale Rider, Koro Apirana grapples with the loss of traditional Māori practices and cultural identity. This map is a visual aid to see that exact cultural loss happening over a small period of time.
Carving of Paikea, The Whale Rider
Students will examine a photograph of a carving of Paikea that is shown in the film adaption Whale Rider (27). This carving of The Whale Rider was created by a well-known Māori artist named Pine Taiapa. I want this to be one of the last visuals they observe because it is directly tied to the novel. As they examine the carving, I will remind them that it is believed that the original ancestors of the Māori people who traveled to New Zealand were following the guidance of whales along the journey. I will inform them that whales, known as tohorā in Māori, hold an ancient sacredness to the Māori people (28). They believe they can trace their ancestry directly back to whales and that whale migration was key to discovering the various islands of the Pacific. The Māori have a deep-rooted connection to these majestic creatures, which is highlighted in The Whale Rider.
I will point out the gender of The Whale Rider in the carving and his stoic facial expression. I will ask students to write down words they would use to describe this man. I assume they will list words such as brave, leader, heroic, and determined. After they share the words they use to describe this man, I will share that this carving plays a large role in the book, including the burial location of the protagonist’s birth cord. I will share this information with students as they observe the carving and tell them this foreshadows an event later in the story. I may return to the earlier photos of the young girl who plays Kahu (Paikea) in the film and pose the question: How does the tradition change by writing a story of a young girl as The Whale Rider?
Te kaieke tohorā, a Māori translation of Witi Ihimaera’s novel The Whale Rider
I will show a picture of the cover of the Māori-translated version of the book (29). The beautiful cover art shows a girl with long, swirling hair that wraps around the large whale she is riding. This introduces the book and serves as evidence that it was translated into Māori less than ten years after it was first released. We will focus on the long hair and what that tells us about the character riding the whale. I will point out the whale’s markings and explain they symbolize a spiritual connection between Māori culture and nature. I will encourage students to share their interpretations of the symbolism in the cover art and its relevance to the story. Ending the visual PowerPoint with the Māori-translated text is a powerful way to connect students with the novel’s cultural context.
Part Two: Using The Whale Rider to Explore Traditions
This section will discuss examples in Witi Ihimaera’s The Whale Rider that can be used to explore the concept of tradition and examine the inherent tension between adhering to cultural tradition and departing from it. Guiding questions regarding the novel include: How does tradition influence the characters’ identities and actions in the novel? How does Kahu challenge and navigate traditional gender roles within her community? What does the story convey about the balance between respecting tradition and embracing change? This curricular unit provides an opportunity for students to think about the broader idea of individual versus community. It provides opportunities for students to think about the phase of life in which they are currently in—a time when they may be exploring the extent to which they either accept or reject the traditions they face in their families or communities. This coming-of-age story will push readers to think about their relationship with traditions in their own lives.
I listened to an interview with author Witi Ihimaera on a BBC podcast called “World Service” (30). Ihimaera expresses that his mother’s family believes they are direct descendants of the original whale rider. This served as inspiration for writing the novel. He states, “What I did was quite controversial among Māori in New Zealand. I decided to update the story and make it a contemporary story, but instead of putting a boy on the whale, I put a young girl because it is the male line in which the succession occurs, and that has been one of the thrilling things to do. To subvert that tradition. But also one of the most testing.” This tells readers that the author intentionally used his story to challenge traditions. While traditions exist for a reason, they must also evolve and adapt to the times. Understanding this concept may give students permission to challenge the traditions in their own lives.
After introducing students to Māori culture through maps and visuals, I will print the first chapter of The Whale Rider and guide students to observe and highlight the rich language and imagery individually. The first four pages are rich in figurative language, imagery, personification, foreshadowing, magical realism, and even Māori language, which is worthwhile for students to interpret and hear aloud. I highly recommend accessing the audiobook by Jay Laga’aia for classes to listen to. The author beautifully interweaves Māori language and mythology to introduce readers to this culture. The first chapter is worthy of students taking their time to examine the role of tradition within this culture, line by line.
The examples listed below can be used for the post-it activity detailed in the classroom activities section. As students identify cultural traditions in the book, they will write quotes and page numbers on sticky notes and place them around the room on anchor charts. The anchor charts should be organized to identify thematic ideas such as adhering to tradition, breaking from tradition, and the relationship between individual identity and community tradition. These will be useful for the culminating reflective essay in which students compare traditions in their own life and/or culture to the experiences in the text. Although these are just a few examples students can use to explore tradition, students can use other examples from the text when doing their sticky note annotations.
The novel contains several tensions, but this curricular unit focuses on two: community tradition vs. modernity and individual identity vs. community tradition.
Community Tradition vs. Modernity
Readers meet Kahu and her family in chapter three. Her great-grandfather, Koro Apirana, is deeply disappointed and disgusted to learn of her birth because it has broken the male line of descent in their tribe. Koro blames his wife, Nani Flowers, for this error because the female side of her lineage is too strong, which causes this result. Nani Flowers is a strong-willed woman who locks horns with her patriarchal husband, who “could not reconcile his traditional beliefs about Māori leadership and rights with Kahu’s birth” (31). She fundamentally disagrees with his traditional beliefs and provides comic relief with a constant stream of threats of divorce. The chapter ends with Nani Flowers explaining how she is the descendant of old Muriwai, the greatest chief in her tribe who also happened to be a woman. This perfectly illustrates the difference between Koro and Nani Flowers: Koro is stuck in his traditional beliefs that men are the only leaders, whereas she has the perspective that women are equally capable leaders. Chapter three creates an opportunity for students to dissect how the characters stay true to their traditions. Koro is unwilling to bend his traditional views on who can be the next heir, versus Nani Flowers, who has a more flexible approach. She diverges from tradition because she sees no problem with girls taking on the role.
Chapter four details the naming of Kahu and the burial of her birth cord. She is named Kahutia Te Rangi, the ancestor of their village. Upon learning this, Koro is infuriated because he views this name choice as belittling the ancestor’s prestige. From his perspective, the sacred name is being misused on a girl who is unable to provide value to the tribe. Again, he casts blame for this on his wife and insists that she has stepped out of line by encouraging this name for the young girl. But this chapter elaborates on the story of her ancestor Muriwai, who chanted special prayers, asking the gods to give her the right and make herself a man, and she was able to save the canoe in the nick of time. Nani was proud to have Muriwai’s blood flowing through her veins because, despite being a woman, she was the reason for the survival of her tribe. Kahu’s mother wanted her birth cord to be buried in Whangara, but Koro refused to assist. Nani and Rawiri (the uncle and narrator) buried it near the carving of The Whale Rider. After burying the birth cord, Rawiri describes:
“I looked back at the spot where Kahu’s birth cord had been placed. At that moment the moon came out and shone full upon the carved figure of Kahutia Te Rangi on his whale.” (32) This foreshadows Kahu’s special gift of speaking to whales. This chapter is brimming with textual evidence students might use in their reflective essays about engaging with and diverging from traditions within our communities.
In chapter six, Koro Apirana is preoccupied with the many serious issues facing the survival of the Māori people. He believes Kahu’s birth was a mistake because “he had wanted an eldest boy-child, somebody more appropriate to teach the traditions of the village to” (33). This chapter details the whakapapa (the Māori word for genealogy) of the tribe and provides context from where these traditions began and how Koro became chief.
In chapter seven, Nani Flowers hassles Koro for the school instruction he hosts for the young boys in the village. She agrees that the instruction should occur, but “she couldn’t help feeling affronted about the exclusion of women”; Koro insisted that those were the rules (34). Again, we see Nani diverge from tradition when she rebukes that rules are made to be broken.
Chapter twelve outlines the detrimental effects of Koro’s obsessive search for the next young boy to serve as the heir of the tribe. Ever since the birth of Kahu’s sister, he has become more intense and brooding. “Perhaps aware of his own mortality, he wanted to make sure that the succession in the present generation was done — and done well. But in doing so he was pushing away the one who had always adored him, Kahu herself” (35). Kahu is putting what he perceives as the needs of his tribe over a relationship with his granddaughter.
Chapter fifteen describes a bloody scene of a large pod of whales stranded on the beach. A news crew is present, showing the actions on television in real-time. A group of men butcher the helpless whales, and the scene is described as blood, laughing, pain, victory, and blood. There is tension in this scene, where the narrator describes the whales as a gift from the Gods, which means their savage actions towards the whales are condoned. On the other hand, Maori people feel a primal love for whales, which they consider their ancestors. And whales are a vanishing species. This is an example of a group of men choosing their greed, violent desires, and commercialism over the modern tradition of protecting the whales.
Individual Identity vs. Community Tradition
In chapter eight, Kahu persistently attempts to attend instructional meetings with the boys against the wishes of her great-grandfather. Although the protagonist is deeply immersed in Māori tradition, she also breaks with that tradition because she is interested in taking on male tasks. This poses the question—what does it mean to be an individual, to connect with one’s traditions, and to revise them?
In chapter ten, Rawiri leaves home in Whangara to travel to Australia. This is upsetting to Nani Flowers, and she asks him what is wrong with their village because “‘You got the whole world right here. Nothing you can get anywhere else that you can’t get here” (36). This is a perfect example of the relationship between individual identity and community tradition. His struggle with pursuing his personal interests of traveling the world versus his commitment to his community and Māori culture comes to a head when he and his friend kill a person on the road one night on page 58. The friends dismissively state that the man is just a native. Students should dissect Rawiri’s struggle with his community identity at this moment.
In chapter twelve, Kahu reads a speech she has written in the Māori language that won the East Coast primary school’s contest. The speech was written out of love and respect for her great-grandfather, Koro Apirana. She spoke of the family genealogy and said, “her main aim in life was to fulfill the wishes of her great-grandfather and of the tribe” (37). Her family and friends in the audience leaped to perform a haka to support Kahu for her bravery when finished. Unfortunately, Koro was not in the audience to hear this speech or show gratitude for the great-granddaughter, who is desperate for his love and acceptance. After, Kahu shares that she does not resent Koro because it isn’t his fault she is a girl. This scene reveals that Kahu is aware that she does not meet the traditional standards, but she is unwilling to modify her passions to fit into the mold that Koro has in his mind.
In chapter thirteen, Koro takes the young boys from school on a boat ride to sea. He throws a carved stone into the water and tells the boys to dive into it and fetch it. Despite the boys’ best efforts, they leave the water with the stone still at the bottom, and Koro feeling defeated. The following day, Kahu insists that Rawiri takes her and Nani Flowers out of the spot in the deep indigo waters where the stone was left. Kahu dives overboard and disappears under the surface. Rawiri jumps into the water and, with a diving mask, looks for Kahu. The scene underwater is beautiful, describing dolphins that came speeding out of the dark toward her, circled Kahu, and seemed to talk to her. She wrapped her arms around its body and it sped her down to the reef:
“Suddenly Kahu made a quick, darting gesture. She picked something up, inspected it, appeared satisfied with it, and went back to the dolphins. Slowly the girl and the dolphins rose towards us. But just as they were midway, Kahu stopped again. She kissed the dolphins goodbye and gave Nani Flowers a heart attack by returning to the reef. She picked up a crayfish and resumed her upward journey. The dolphins were like silver dreams as they disappeared.” (38)
Quickly after, Kahu surfaces and places the stone in Nani Flower’s hand. Rawiri and Nani Flowers are left speechless and decide not to tell Koro about the event that just occurred because he is not ready yet. This is a perfect example of Kahu’s individual identity diverging from community tradition.
Teaching Strategies
Visuals and Map Analysis
This curricular unit uses The Whale Rider as a case study and allows students to explore how people engage with and diverge from traditions. This book is rich in culture, history, and mythology. I use visuals and map analysis to provide the context to do this successfully. Teaching with maps is teaching students to think spatially. This strategy will enhance student learning because my students are visual creatures. Students should have a piece of paper and pencil in front of them to take notes throughout the presentation at the teacher’s prompting. Teachers should encourage students periodically to list details that stand out to them from the visual on the board. This engaging strategy should not have strict rules but be an opportunity for students to explore a new culture with a sense of wonder. Students can even do quick sketches along with the notes to help them remember the information.
Adaptation Analysis
The Whale Rider film was released in 2002 and won many awards and accolades. Watching this beloved book adaptation film will serve as a wrap-up after finishing the text and help students further engage with the story. To circle back to the guiding question of this unit, I want students to think about how this movie depicts Maori people engaging with and diverging the traditions within their communities in ways that differ from the book. Watching this feel-good movie will also help student morale. Kids love to watch movies, which is particularly helpful for visual learners. Not to mention the educational value of cross-media learning. Before they watch the film, it is important to provide them with a list of questions to consider as they watch. Students should take notes over the film, focusing on these questions: What can a film do? What can a novel do? What does the film bring to the table that the text does not? I will have students create a t-chart for the film notes. On one side, students will write about how the movie is similar to the book; on the other, they will note the differences. After watching the film, they will write down answers to the following questions: which was better—the book or the movie—and why? How did the movie help you understand the book better?
This film is interesting because it provides a more in-depth portrayal of the community traditions within Māori culture. On-screen, the characters press their noses together and touch their foreheads, a greeting known as the hongi (39). This movie gives students a window into Māori culture in a way that the book does not—they can see it play out in front of their eyes.
During the Socratic seminar, students will discuss how the film uniquely explores the relationship between individual identity and community tradition. The film illustrates the fractures of his community in a unique way and tells the story of the community and its traditions, whereas the book tells the story of Kahu and her grandfather. This will help them brainstorm for their final essay. I have identified several places in the film where the theme of tradition and community is magnified in a way that is absent in the text:
- In the background of almost every scene in the film is either a beautiful series of intricate wall carvings, Māori artwork, or the coastline of New Zealand. The visual aspects of this medium really drive home the culture and tradition present in the story.
- Around the 20-minute mark, Porourangi and Koro get into a heated discussion after Porourangi announces a girl he is seeing in Germany is pregnant with his child. Koro tells him that he can tell that he can’t wait to get away from the village and his people. His face shows the pain of knowing his son does not feel the same allegiance to his people as he would prefer. He dismisses Porourangi’s artwork and tells him he has obligations in the village. The scene clearly depicts a father and son relationship where they do not understand each other. They are speaking but don’t hear each other. Koro has expectations for his son that he is not reaching. This is a great example of individual identity vs. community tradition.
- Around the 25-minute mark, there is a touching scene of Paikea (Kahu) and her father, Porourangi, talking on the beach – a conversation not present in the book. The girl asks her father why Koro doesn’t want her, and her father explains that Koro is looking for something that doesn’t exist anymore. Koro is looking for a prophet or somebody to lead the Māori people out of the darkness. This conversation gives insights into Koro’s state of mind, which readers are unaware of in the text. Around the 37-minute mark, Nani Flowers and Pai (Kahu) sing a traditional welcome song before a group of men. Afterward, Koro reprimands Pai (Kahu) for sitting in the front row with the other boys. He instructs her to move to the back because she is a girl. She refuses to move. When the camera pans to Nani Flowers, her face is difficult to read, but I can’t help but spot a twinkle of pride in her eyes.
- An example of changing tradition is Pai (Kahu) ‘s conversation with one of the young boys, which happens around the 40-minute mark. She explains that Koro will not allow her to attend the taiaha (ancient stick fighting) because she is a girl, and the young boy clearly disagrees with Koro’s rigid stance on this tradition. He even tells Pai (Kahu) that he wouldn’t mind if she were to sit quietly in the back and watch them practice. At the end of the scene, he even shows her how to hold the stick properly in her hand.
- One of my favorite scenes is around 1:01:00, when Koro weeps and sings to the ancient ones, asking them for help. Pai (Kahu) narrates this scene and explains that the ancient ones aren’t listening to him. This scene shows us the depth of pain within Koro, whereas, in the book, it feels like a bitter old man stuck in his ways. I appreciated this scene; it made Koro seem more human.
Socratic Seminar
The Socratic seminar in this curricular unit will be a discussion based on the book and the film Whale Rider. Students should use this to brainstorm ideas for their reflective essays. A Socratic seminar is a formal, student-led discussion based on a text and is facilitated through open-ended questions. It is named after the Greek philosopher Socrates, who saw deep value in asking questions and holding discussions rather than debates. Before beginning a Socratic seminar, a teacher must thoroughly explain how the process will operate and what it will look like in practice. I have found success by doing a trial run before hosting a Socratic seminar or even asking a few students to be examples for the class. My tip for other teachers is from experience: the more structure, the better. For a first-time Socratic seminar, students should have an entire class period to learn and practice how to write open-ended questions. The teacher should provide example questions, such as: Where does that idea come from in the text? What else could that mean? Students should know that they must speak around 3-4 times during the activity, which consists of asking two questions and making two comments. Their comments are graded by quality, which means the comment will receive an “A” marking if it is thoughtful and includes textual evidence; a “B” if it is thoughtful and specific but doesn’t include textual evidence; a “C” if it is general, but well thought out. If this is your first time hosting a Socratic seminar in your classroom, please expect some leg work on the front end. Before introducing it to your classes, you must be familiar with this teaching strategy. This strategy will allow students to think aloud before they do the final activity. I found many helpful online resources, and one of the best websites is readwritethink.org.
Sticky Notes Annotation
Students will use sticky notes as an annotation tool to record textual evidence about important themes in a novel. This idea is based on the book Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? by Cris Tovani, which provides detailed strategies for implementing research-backed reading comprehension strategies in the classroom. The post-it note annotation activity I use in this curricular unit is a strategy to provide purpose to student reading. According to Tovani, a reader’s purpose determines what is important in the text, what is remembered, and what comprehension strategy a reader uses to enhance meaning. This strategy also ensures that students do not write in the books because they have a sticky note to write on instead.
They will place them on anchor charts hung around the room, aiding them in writing an essay. I recommend different anchor charts for different class periods. The charts should be titled as: adhering to tradition, breaking from tradition, and the relationship between individual identity and community tradition.
I found an excellent online article called “Annotating for Active Reading: Post-It Notes and File Folders” from a teacher’s blog that outlines how she uses sticky note annotations in her classroom, provides photos, and even has worksheets and a rubric for teachers to use for free (40). An alternative way to collect sticky note annotations is to have students collect the notes in a personal folder instead of on anchor charts around the room. Find this at livinginthelayerscom.wordpress.com
Classroom Activities
Maori Encyclopedia: Putting Visuals and Maps to Use
This activity will consist of a Google Slide presentation. As I review the information for each topic, I will have students do a quick, rough sketch of the image and write down important information to help them understand the novel’s cultural context. When studying an Indigenous text, students must use maps and visuals to understand this new culture truly. For each visual, I will pose questions they will answer in their notes and point out specific connections to the text. Once they finish this activity, they will have organized notes that can serve as a Maori Encyclopedia to use as a resource while reading and in their final essay.
Movie Adaptation Socratic Seminar
I will conduct a Socratic seminar based on the movie adaptation. It is important to not rely on discussing the differences between the movie and the text but instead discuss how each medium has different tools that they bring to the table. A critical question to pose to classes – what can a film do, and what can a novel do? I will ask what the film brings to the table that the text does not? During the Socratic seminar, students will discuss how the film uniquely explores the relationship between individual identity and community tradition. The film illustrates the fractures of this community in a unique way from the book. The film more so tells the story of the community and its traditions, whereas the book tells the story of Kahu and her grandfather. Students should take notes during the Socratic seminar, which they will use for reference during essay writing. This will help them brainstorm for their final essay. I have found that students enjoy participating in Socratic seminars, and several times, I have had kids ask when we are doing another one. This particular Socratic seminar will help them with the upcoming essay and allow them to critically analyze a film adaptation, having them think about the changes made in film and the level at which it was affected. This activity will allow students to practice supporting their opinions with evidence.
Culminating Activity: Tradition vs. Individuality Essay
Throughout the unit, students have explored the tensions between tradition and individual in The Whale Rider and their own lives. For this culminating activity, students will reflect on these themes and write a personal essay that examines how traditions influence identity and life purpose. Emphasize to students that this is a writing assignment to use as a space for personal growth and self-expression.
Reflective Essay prompt: Compare the traditions in your life and/or community to those experienced in The Whale Rider. Your essay must address how people shape their sense of self and life purpose by engaging with and diverging from the traditions within their communities. I want this essay to be a personal writing experience and serve as an opportunity for teenagers to self-reflect on their own identity and where they see themselves in the scope of their community. For this reason, I encourage using personal pronouns to express your thoughts and feelings. The essay must include at least three pieces of textual evidence, with parenthetical citations, followed by a proper analysis. This is an academic essay and should meet MLA standards and proper grammar usage, but my focus within this essay is more on personal reflection rather than academic perfection. This allows students to focus on practicing and improving their writing skills but also allows them to reflect on their own lives and make connections to other cultures. The push-and-pull tension of tradition in The Whale Rider is a universal experience – this essay gives students full permission to really work through what that looks like in their own lives. Teaching Indigenous Literature is an important experience in the English classroom, and this final essay will allow students the space to reflect on the Maori culture and their own lives.
Appendix on Implementing District Standards
● 9.2.R.1 Summarize the main ideas and paraphrase significant parts of increasingly complex texts.
● 9.3.R.1 Students will analyze the extent to which historical, cultural,and/or global perspectives affect authors’ stylistic choices in grade-level literary and informational texts.
● 9.3.R.2 Evaluate authors’ perspectives and explain how it contributes to the meanings of texts.
● 9.1.L.1 Students will actively listen using agreed-upon discussion rules with control of verbal and nonverbal cues.
● 9.1.S.2 Students will follow agreed-upon rules as they engage in collaborative discussions about what they are reading and writing, expressing their own ideas clearly, building on the ideas of others, and respectfully disagreeing when necessary in pairs, diverse groups, and whole-class settings.
● 9.7.R Students will analyze and evaluate the techniques used in a variety of multimodal content and how they contribute to meaning.
Resources
Bibliography for Teachers
Google Slides presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1DrhdZichdj0B4_OBI6sJQ7Jk8PdqoQQh4TwmNtOjmB E/edit?usp=sharing
Caro, Niki, dir. 2002. Whale Rider. South Pacific Pictures.
Craig, Robert D. 1989. Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology. N.p.: Bloomsbury Academic.
Filkins, Scott. n.d. “Socratic Seminars | Read Write Think.” ReadWriteThink. Accessed April 28, 2024. www.readwritethink.org/professional-development/strategy-guides/socratic-seminars.
Ihimaera, Witi. 2005. The Whale Rider. N.p.: Heinemann.
“Socratic Seminar Teaching Strategy.” 2020. Facing History. https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/socratic-seminar.
Tovani, Cris. 2004. Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? Content Comprehension, Grades 6-12. N.p.: Stenhouse Publishers.
Notes
1. Ihimaera, Witi. 2005. The Whale Rider., page 12.
2. https://www.newzealand.com/us/feature/haka/
3. https://www.experienceallblacks.com/insider-information/haka/history-of-haka/#:~:text= Traditionally%2C%20the%20M%C4%81ori%20people%20of,welcome%2C%20and%2 0challenge%20visiting%20tribes.
4. https://www.newzealand.com/us/feature/haka/
5. All Blacks on the Haka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMkExCvxTEA
6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLmS9e_4m6A&t=82s
7. New Zealand MP performs haka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUpimkG3WTA
8. Haka to mourn victims: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOZkO7YfCS4
9. https://teara.govt.nz/en/document/2573/the-long-white-cloud-ao-tea-roa
10. Ihimaera, Witi. 2005. The Whale Rider., page 23.
11. A short presentation from the University of Otago in New Zealand that is a short introduction to the pronunciation of the Maori language: https://www.otago.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0024/314907/introduction-to-te-reo-maori -pronunciation-830709.pdf
12. Interactive website for exploring the Maori alphabet and language: https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/41063/the-maori-alphabet
13. https://www.newzealand.com/us/feature/maori-language/
14. https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/2502/maori-language-class
15. https://www.un.org/en/desa/protecting-languages-preserving-cultures-0
16. https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/maori-language-week/history-of-the-maori-language
17. https://www.education.govt.nz/our-work/overall-strategies-and-policies/tau-mai-te-reo/
18. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Haka_performed_during_US_Defense_Secreta ry%27s_visit_to_New_Zealand_(1).jpg
19. https://www.nzsj.sch.id/post/5-interesting-facts-about-new-zealand-s-indigenous-m%C4 %81ori-people
20. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/A-very-schematic-illustration-of-the-colonization-ofthe-Polynesian-triangle-of-islands_fig1_309164763
21. https://www.live-work.immigration.govt.nz/live-in-new-zealand/history-government/a-br ief-history#:~:text=The%20first%20settlers%20probably%20arrived,ocean%20currents %2C%20winds%20and%20stars.
22. https://epdf.pub/dictionary-of-polynesian-mythology-5ea6c6b535722.html
23. https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/40453/double-hulled-waka-tonga-1790s
24. https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/43101/waka-taua-1769
25. https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/1487/the-treaty-of-waitangi-in-art
26. https://teara.govt.nz/en/map/26591/maori-land-loss
27. Caro, Niki, dir. 2002. Whale Rider. South Pacific Pictures.
28. New York Times. “In Move to Protect Whales, Polynesian Indigenous Groups Give Them ‘Personhood’” by Remy Tumin. 29 March 2024.
29. https://teara.govt.nz/en/ephemera/31127/te-kaieke-tohora
30. Podcast: World Book Club. “Witi Ihimaera – The Whale Rider” https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/witi-ihimaera-the-whale-rider/id263658343?i=1000 109275768
31. Ihimaera, Witi. 2005. The Whale Rider., page 12.
32. Ibid., 18.
33. Ibid., 26.
34. Ibid., 33.
35. Ibid., 64.
36. Ibid., 47.
37. Ibid., 69.
38. Ibid., 73.
39. https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/96504348/hongi-our-national-greeting
40. https://livinginthelayerscom.wordpress.com/2019/12/14/annotating-for-active-reading-po st-it-note-and-file-folders/