story notes Flashcards
Who was Kahutia te Ranga?
The founder of the tribe. He was one of the ‘ancients’ and landed in New Zealand. He threw spears which formed pigeons, forests and animals.
What happened to Kahutia’s last spear?
It “leaped with gladness from his hands” and soared through the sky for a thousand years. It took another 150 years on the land before it changed. It waited until it was needed.
(this is hinted to be Kahu’s arrival).
Who is the story narrated by?
Rawiri, Kahu’s uncle. He is 16 at the beginning of the story and (as the story is 8 years) finishes it age 24.
Why were the female whales worried?
They were nervous because the bull whale’s memory might doom the herd.
What does the bull whale remember?
His last ride with his master.
Why was Koro upset at the birth of Kahu?
Because she was a girl and he wanted a boy in her generation to be able to lead the tribe.
He was even more upset when Pouragangi (Rawiri’s brother) named the child Kahu, after the village god. Koro believed this was disrespectful.
Who does Kahu look like?
Her great-grandfather, Koro Apriana. Suggests that she is a future leader.
What two acts suggest Kahu is connected to traditional Maori values?
- When she was a baby, she only drank and ate traditional maori food and water. This is uncommon in babies. It links her to the first maori.
- She also bites Koro Apirana’s toe, which signifies the passing of power.
These acts foreshadow her as a leader.
What school does Koro Apirana establish?
maori language and history school, but he bands girls and keeps kicking Kahu out.
What does interlock mean?
the ability to connect with whales
what happens in chapter 10 to Rawiri?
He moves to australia for more freedom
Who does Rawiri meet in australia?
Jeff. A white boy escaping his parents.
What are jeff’s parents like?
Jeff’s mum is racist. Jeff accidentally hits an indigenous person with his car but they don’t care. This is just because he’s native. The future of their son is more important than his life.
In chapter 12, Kahu is sad because she realises her great-grandfather dislikes her because she is a girl. True or False?
True obviosuly
What challenge does Koro create to test to see who could be a future leader of their tribe?
He gets the boys of the village to retrieve a rock from the ocean floor. However, only Kahu is the only one able to do this.
What does Kahu winning Koro’s competitioni signify?
Her connection to nature. She rides a dolphin. This is juxtaposed with the
What happens to the bull whale in chapter 14?
A flashback to the whale missing his master, who left the whale to build a life with his wife and family. He is premanently heart broken.
What happens in chapter 15?
A jogger finds 200 whales beached.
What do some people try and do to the whales (bad)
Kill them for their oil or parts. Soon, the moari tribe come and they try and rescue the whales.
What happened to the whales?
All of them died. Even the ones that were pushed back out to water, returned to comfort their dying friends.
Why is there a divide between Maori and white people in the chapter about the beached whales?
It means asserting the traditional Maori view of animals as peers and equals over the exploitative Western view of them as inferior and expendable.
Why doesn’t Koro Apirana want the women to be involved with saving the whales? Why does he change his mind?
He believes that this is spiritual work and women therefor, cannot be part of it.
There weren’t enough men, however, and conditions were dire.
What is the significance of Kahu wearing a white dress to save the whale?
White connotes innocence. Emphasises youth.
What does Kahu do when she introduces herself to the bull whale?
Introduces herself as her ancestor, Kahutia te Ranga, she sings to the whale. This makes the whale believe he is talking to his old rider.
Why did Kahu get on the whale?
She believed that if the whale would die, her great-grandfather would die.
