Meet the stars of this award-winning film, go behind the scenes to learn how Keisha Castle-Hughes was chosen to play Paikea, learn how the film came to life, and check out the video clips.
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Learn more about the
remarkable film based on Witi Ihimaera's book, read an
interview with the author, and hear the Maori language as the author himself reads the first paragraph in Maori. |
Meet the Maori people, and discover their culture and history. Learn about their art, their language, their politics, and most importantly, the spirituality and reverence for nature which keeps their social structure together. |
Prepare for the movie with our
Family Viewers Guide, which includes activities for before, during, and after the film, and
find out about the National Outreach Campaign, created in partnership with Girl Scouts of the USA. |
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In a small New Zealand coastal village, the Whangara tribe claim descent from Paikea, the Whale Rider, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. In every generation for more than 1,000 years, a male heir born to the Chief succeeds to the title. The time is now. But the heir to the tribe's leadership dies at birth and is survived only by his twin sister.
Although disregarded by her grandfather and shunned by the village people, twelve-year-old Pai remains certain of her calling and trains herself in the ways and customs of her people. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition in order to fulfill her destiny.
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