The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera

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Description:

The Whale Rider allows readers to experience the past and present culture of New Zealand’s Maori people. Witi Ihimaera’s poetic language, humor, and endearing characters build appreciation of his culture and remind us that there are ways in which all cultures are alike. By combining reality and legend, Ihimaera points out the importance of traditional beliefs. Themes include the human relationship with nature, equality for women, tradition vs. change, reality vs. supernatural, and unity.

Activities:

In this unit, students participate in brainstorming, charting, mapping, questioning, and critiquing. Activities encourage student research on a variety of topics related to the novel. Discussions, poetry analysis, and creative writing develop skills and focus students on the overall theme of unity. The final lesson of the unit allows students to compare The Whale Rider with The Way to Rainy Mountain.

Ethical Values:

Courage
Endurance
Equality
Family commitment
Initiative