Whale Rider

In the old days, the land felt a great emptiness.

It was waiting.

Waiting to be filled up.

Waiting for someone to love it.

Waiting for a leader.

And he came on the back of a whale.

A man to lead a new people.

Our ancestor...Paikea.

But now we were waiting for the first-born of the new generation,

for the descendent of the Whale Rider.

For the boy who would be chief.

Paikea...

Paikea.

There was no gladness when I was born.

My twin brother died and took our mother with him.

Rawiri.

Everyone was waiting for the first-born boy to lead us, but he died.

And I didn't.

SHE SINGS A LAMENT IN MAORI

Where's the boy?

GRANDMOTHER WAILS SOFTLY

Son?

What's done is done. Come home.

Come home.

Start again.

You mean pretend it never happened?

-That's not what I'm saying.

-You didn't even look at her, Dad!

-She died.

-Son...

-No, no, NO!

No. All you want is your boy.

-It's all right.

-That's all you want, isn't it?

-You can start again!

-Hey, I've got a child.

-Her name's Paikea.

-What?!

-You heard me.

-No. Not that name.

-It's Paikea.

-No!

Porourangi.

Porourangi!

POROURANGI!

Take her away.

Ka pupu ko Te Rawea Ka pupu ko e Kawitiwiti

Ka pupu ko Te Tira wai hekura Ko tikitiki a Tai

Ko Tikitiki a Rangi

Haumi e!

-Taiki e.

-BABY CRIES

I told you to take her away.

No. You acknowledge your granddaughter.

-BABY STOPS CRYING

-She likes you.

-He'll have another child.

-He just lost a child, and a wife.

Isn't that enough?

You give that boy some time, you hear me?

He'll be back when he's ready.

Stupid old paka.

You say the word and I'll get a divorce, bubba.

Just say the word.

What'd he say to her?

Same old story.

-Not good enough for him, is she?

-He start that early with me?

You're a man, you can handle it.

Here. Better get used to it.

This one's gonna need someone to look out for her.

Yeah, all right.

My koro wished in his heart that I'd never been born.

But he changed his mind.

SHE LAUGHS

Hey! You old Paka! KORO LAUGHS

Quick!

Gee, they were quick. Must've let them off early.

-You've been smoking.

-Says you.

Maori women have got to stop smoking.

We've got to protect our child-bearing properties.

Youse coming to the concert?

-Might.

-Bet she's got her best gear all laid out on the bed.

-My dad's coming.

-Better get my flash dress out then(!)

-How long's he staying this time? Five minutes?

-Longer than that.

That's good. Cos I blinked and missed him last time.

-What time's the concert, bub?

-Seven-thirty. And don't be late.

Gee, she's bossy, that one.

You'd have to be smoking in a pretty funny place to wreck your child-bearing properties!

SHE SINGS IN MAORI

SHE STAMPS RHYTHMICALLY

-No good to you, you reckon?

-Shh!

Ko wai te tekoteko kei runga?

ALL: Ko Paikea! Ko Paikea!

PARP!

PARP!

Whakakau he tahora!

I Koro e. Hei!

-Geez, what are they feeding you?

-You look different.

Well, you do too.

-Must be growing up.

-Am not.

-Sorry I was late.

-Doesn't matter. I was stink anyway.

Gotta look my best for your brother.

-Hey, Bro.

-Rawiri?

Good to see you, man.

-Yeah, put on a bit of weight since I saw you last, eh?

-Yeah!

-Hey, this is my new lady.

-Kia ora.

-Kia ora.

How many of my sons you need, girl?

Give us a hand with the food. Make yourself useful.

You too, Pai.

Come on, mate. Let these important guys have their talk, eh?

Take your time.

They've been waiting for you.

Been a while this time, Son.

Been away.

-Didn't you get my postcards?

-Your mother put something on the fridge.

-I don't know what it was. A bridge or something.

-France, probably.

I've been spending a bit of time in Germany too.

-Like you there, do they?

-Some of them do.

-So you've been busy then?

-Yeah. Yeah, it's been good.

You know, I've got a gallery interested, had some good shows...

How about you?

We've been all right.

It's good to see you, Dad.

It was my father's waka.

But after I was born he didn't want to carve it anymore.

He went away.

Everybody did.

-Sorry, Mum.

-You've come a long way.

I think you can have a sleep-in.

-Isn't he having any breakfast?

-Septic tank's blocked at the marae.

-Can't somebody else do it?

-Eat your breakfast.

-You're too skinny. Can't hardly see your bum in those pants.

-Thanks, Mum

-Thanks, Ma.

-Your timing's spooky, boy.

THEY BLOW RASPBERRIES AND LAUGH

Ow! What was that for?

For the concert last night. You have more respect next time.

That teacher of yours... Got herself a husband yet?

Don't think so.

She still got those things on her teeth?

Paka, at school we gotta do a speech on where we come from and that.

So anyway, you know how we all came on a whale?

-That's right.

-But where did the whale come from?

-ENGINE FAILS TO START

-From Hawaiki.

-Where's that?

It's where we lived before we came here.

Where the ancestors are.

-So Paikea came from there?

-Ae.

-How long ago?

-A long time.

But how long?

See that there?

Look at it closely.

What do you see?

-Lots of little bits of rope all twisted together.

-That's right.

SPEAKS MAORI

"Weave together the threads of Paikea so that our line remains strong."

Each one of those threads is one of your ancestors,

all joined together and strong.

All the way back to that whale of yours.

Useless bloody rope! I'll get another one.

ENGINE STARTS

Paka! Paka!

It's working!

It's working.

-ENGINE STOPS

-I don't want you to do that again.

It's dangerous.

That's a good one.

Come in.

There's a seat for you over there.

-Kia ora.

-Kia ora.

-Hi.

-Kia ora.

-Have you met Pai's father? Porourangi...

-this is Miss Parata from the school.

-Kia ora.

-Kia ora.

-I thought she'd appreciate seeing the show.

-No problem.

This is some of my work from my last exhibition in Germany.

Start again, from the beginning. She wants to see all of it.

All right.

Like I was saying... Oh, sorry!

Who's that, bro?

Ana. A woman I've been seeing.

Actually, she's pregnant.

-We're expecting a child.

-Why didn't you tell me?

Congratulations, bro! Y'always get the good-looking ones!

Where is she? Why didn't you bring her?

She lives in Germany, Mum. She wanted to have the child at home.

-But you'll bring her back here?

-Yeah, course.

Well, a bit of a visit, you know, when the baby gets big.

Rawiri, take Miss Parata back to town.

Come with me, Pai.

When were you gonna tell me? The day you left?

I've been trying to tell you since I got here.

Look, Dad, it's not for ever...

It's Ana's first child, you know? Her work's there, her family...

-Family?

-Yeah. I can't expect her to move to the other side of the world.

Don't you use her as an excuse. You can't wait to go. I see it in you.

-You never stay because it hurts you to see what's happening to us.

-Yeah, it does.

But you can still walk away! Leave your waka out there to rot!

I'm not here shovelling shit, but Dad I'm doing my share.

Look, did you even see my work?

Did you? Did you even look at it?

You call it work! It's not work - it's souvenirs!

Those young men you turn your back on,

they've got something to learn from you.

You've got something to offer. Don't you turn away!

You got the privileges, but you forget you've also got the obligations!

Look at me, Dad.

For once in your life. Go on.

-You don't even know who I am.

-I know who you're meant to be. Who you were born to be.

Oh, yeah, right... But I failed you, eh, Dad?

Because I had a daughter?! Well, I might have another one!

But you won't treat another child of mine like that.

If you don't like the job I'm doing, take her with you!

-Stop it!

-She's no use to me.

-DOOR OPENS

-Pai!

Leave her. I'll get her. Pai?

You all right?

Gotta watch that koro sometimes. Big mouth of his gets away on him.

He didn't mean it. About me.

Well, you know...

Maybe we should think about it.

Think about what?

You coming to live with me for a while.

What do you think?

Why doesn't he want me?

Oh, Pai, it's not you.

It's not even about you, in a way.

Koro, he's just...

-He's just looking for something that doesn't exist anymore.

-A new leader?

-They exist.

-Yeah, they do.

Except I think... it's become even more than that.

-In his head, your koro, he needs a prophet.

-What's that?

Well, somebody who's going to lead our people out of the darkness,

and who'll make everything all right again.

Only problem is, you can't just decide who those people are,

just because you want them to be, eh?

Like my brother?

Yeah.

Your koro made himself believe so strongly that he'd be the one.

But what if he was?

And what if he wasn't?

You know, your koro - he did the same thing with me?

Is that why he's so hard on you?

Yep. Pretty much.

Because I can't be what he wants, eh?

Me neither.

You think about it, OK?

You know you'd make me really happy if you'd come and stay with me.

Just think about it.

-Ready, Pai?

-One more go.

You be good to that girl.

CAR DOOR SHUTS, ENGINE STARTS

That's right. You look.

I'm gonna need all the first-born boys. It's time they learnt.

-Learnt what?

-When she was born, that's when things went wrong for us.

That's where we'll find the answer.

You all right?

Stop the car!

Pai?

What is it, Pai?

Can we go home now?

But why? What's wrong?

-I have to go home.

-Why?

I just have to.

I know. Here, it's OK.

Paka! I'm back.

-Not now, Pai.

-But I'm back.

I'm back.

Anyway, where does that information come from? It comes from the books.

DOOR SLAMS

BELL RINGS

You shouldn't be smoking.

Trying to give up, aren't I?

-How come you didn't go with your dad?

-I did.

For one day. I would've gone.

-When my dad gets out I'm gonna go with him.

-Where?

Wherever. Get out of this dump.

Koro's gonna be pissed off when he sees you smoking.

-No, he won't, cos he's not coming.

-Is so!

No. He's getting the school ready.

-What school?

-For us fellas. To teach us the old ways and that.

Probably gonna be stink.

-You can come on the bus if you want.

-I'm waiting for Koro.

-But he's not coming.

-I said, I'm waiting!

-When you're ready...

-When everyone's here, I'll be ready.

They ARE here. Those boys have waited half an hour.

-You tell her you weren't gonna pick her up?

-She could've got on the bus.

You pick her up every day for years and she's just supposed to guess?

Good. Let's go.

Do the welcome, bub.

Go on.

What do you think you're doing?

SHE SINGS IN MAORI

Pai. You're a girl. Go to the back.

What did I say?

What did I say?

Then leave.

Go on!

For you boys, this will be a sacred school of learning.

You'll be taught in the old ways, in all the qualities of a chief.

You will be tested for your strength, your courage, your intelligence

and your leadership.

Paikea's canoe sank and he called on the Ancient Ones for strength.

You're going to learn that chant.

All of you. Learn it exactly.

And if you break the chant you will suffer the utu.

The consequences.

Like what? Someone dying or something?

Like your dick will drop off.

So hold on to your dicks.

Henare, hold on to your dick!

Now...repeat after me.

-Ka u.

-Ka u.

Ka u.

-Ka u.

-Ki uta ra.

(Ka u ki uta ra.)

The Taiaha is an instrument of war.

A tool for fighting.

If you want to master it, you've got to show it respect.

Hemi! Here.

Pick it up.

Good. Be angry. Anger is part of your battle.

You gotta learn to control it.

Now take a break, get a drink of water.

The rest of you, in pairs.

-Koro know you're doing that?

-I'm not doing anything.

How come you're hiding round here then?

Koro's cool, eh?

He's teaching us to be warriors, man.

We're gonna be chiefs.

Gonna smack all those other ones.

-You shouldn't have hit Koro like that.

-He was all right.

He was real patient, eh? How come he won't let you do it?

Girls aren't allowed.

You could sit up the back. Long as you were quiet. I wouldn't mind.

You're not even holding it right.

Your hands should be like this. And your feet...

..like this.

Go back to the school, Hemi.

I said go!

I'll deal with you later.

I'm sorry, Paka.

You gone deaf now? Somebody just apologised to you.

You don't mess around with sacred things!

-She was just watching!

-She was using a Taiaha!

Let the girl do it.

You might be boss out there, but I'm the boss in here. I'll do it.

You forgot something.

Ae, it's not too bad up here!

He's got a lot of rules he has to live by.

-It's not fair.

-I know.

But sometimes you've just got to let him think that he's the boss.

-He IS the boss.

-Not of me!

I let him think he is, though.

What's wrong with me, Nanny?

Nothing's wrong with you, you hear me?

You got the blood of Muriwai in your veins, girl!

Think she'd be proud of you saying things like that?

Anyway, that old Paka's not the only one who knows some tricks.

Eh?

Well, you wouldn't know it now, but before he got fat and ugly

your Uncle Rawiri was bit of a hot shot with the Taiaha!

-True?

-Won a trophy and everything.

Oh, you should've seen him.

He was beautiful.

-What happened?

-I don't know. He was the second son.

But he knows some things, your Uncle Rawiri. Don't you worry about that.

-Is Uncle here?

-Out the back.

-Hi.

-Damn, girl!

-What did I tell you about sneaking up on us?

-I found this.

I didn't know you played golf!

Not golf. Taiaha.

Yeah, well, this guy's playing golf!

They cut the end off the golf stick, swing it around,

and push it through there.

-Hey, shut up! I was good.

-Yeah, that's why you're sitting here

while your father tells a bunch of snotty nosed kids how to be chief.

Poor little bastards, eh?

-Could you teach me?

-Hold up.

-This was a long time ago.

-So?

Please?

-Does Koro know about this?

-No.

-Well, let's get it on, then.

-Yes!

-You mean this?

-It's a broom, isn't it?

Morning, Dad.

Hey, there goes that little girl Pai.

Get him, Pai!

-Go, Pai!

-Get him, girl!

When you extend your tongue...

you're saying to your enemies... "I'm gonna eat you.

"Your eyes will roll back.

"Your head will be stuck on the end of my stick."

Feel the ihi.

The power.

Let them feel the wehi. The fear.

I want the hairs on the backs of their necks to stand up.

Take off your shirts.

Kia tere!

When you slap your chests, I want you to slap them hard.

Scratch them. Make them bleed.

Timata.

Good, Hemi. Good.

It's not just your fathers that are watching you today.

All these ancestors are watching, too.

This is my dad.

Come to see your boy?

-Yeah.

-Good.

Hemi, you first.

Ka u ki uta ra Te ika pupu hanui

A te moana Ko ahau ko te kaieke...

RAP MUSIC PLAYS

-Girl, where's that school?

-Over there.

..tangaroa meha!

-I thought you're gonna stay for the whole thing.

-I've seen your bit.

Come and meet my mates.

This is my boy.

-Say hello.

-Hello.

Better watch out for this one. He did all right in there!

-See you later.

-Tonight?

-Next couple of days maybe.

-CAR ENGINE STARTS

HE SNIFFS

Get lost, you.

-Was that your dad?

-Get lost!

HE CHANTS, TAIAHAS THUD

What have you done?

Answer me.

It wasn't her fault.

Go wash your face!

Answer me, Pai.

-Do you know what you've done?

-No.

You've broken the tapu of this school.

On this marae, the one place where our old ways are upheld.

The knowledge that's been passed down from your ancestors,

from my grandfather, to me, to those boys... Kua whati! - it's broken!

I'm sorry, Paka.

You're not sorry.

Right from the beginning you knew this wasn't for you,

but you keep coming back.

-Do you want me to fail?

-No.

You want these boys to fail?

What have you got to say to them?

-I'm sorry.

-Say it again!

-I'm sorry.

-SAY IT SO YOU MEAN IT!

-SAY IT!

-I'm sorry.

Want me to put some more hot in?

No. TAPS RUNS

-Ow!

-You can get sick, sitting in a cold bath.

-What if he fails, Nanny?

-Then he fails.

But what will happen to him?

Nothing will happen. Except me thinking about that divorce.

It's not Koro's fault, Nanny.

What's not his fault? Sounds like his fault to me.

Not that I'm a girl.

Not you, Hemi.

Rawiri.

You've all done very well.

You've shown me that you've got courage, that you're strong,

and that you can learn.

But there can only be one.

So there's one final test.

A test of your spirit.

He rei nga niho,

he paraaoa ngaa kauae.

If you have the tooth of a whale,

you must have the whale's jaw to wield it.

One of you will bring that back to me.

-Bubba's got a cold and I can't swim.

-It's all right, mate.

-Give it to me.

-I almost had it.

Nanny?

Come here.

It's not for long.

You can put your clothes in there.

And there's a lamp if you wanna read.

Rawiri reckons you're pretty brainy, eh?

Anyway, it's just for a little while.

HE SINGS LAMENT IN MAORI

'He was calling to the Ancient Ones, asking them to help him.

'But they weren't listening.'

SHE SINGS IN MAORI 'So I tried.

'And they heard me.'

Uncle?

-Is this where Paka lost his reiputa?

-His what?

That thing he wore round his neck. He threw it overboard.

Crazy old Paka.

Where?

Just over there.

I'll get it.

'It's quiet down deep.

'Koro needed quiet - that's what Nanny said.

'He didn't want to talk anymore.

'He just wanted to go down and down.'

She's been gone quite a while, eh?

Nah. She's sweet.

For Paka's tea. And I found this.

-Got this for Dad's tea.

-Lovely. Pop it in the sink.

Pai got it.

She got this as well.

You gonna tell him?

No. He's not ready yet.

Go on.

It's for my school concert.

You're my guest of honour.

So I'll see you there, Paka.

Come on! I want to get up the front.

-Save this one for Paka.

-He might be held up, bub.

-No, he's coming.

COUNTRY AND WESTERN MUSIC PLAYS

# There is a train that leaves tonight

# Get onboard, now I just might

# I'm sick of all these dead-end days

# Take one ticket and be away... #

THEY SING IN MAORI

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

Now, to finish, we have something very special.

One of our students has won not only our own school speech contest,

but the East-Coast-area's, as well.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Miss Paikea Apirana.

(Did you know about this?

(She said she had a surprise... for him.)

E nga rangatira, e nga iwi,

tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.

This speech is a token of my deep love and respect for Koro Apirana,

my grandfather.

My name is Paikea Apirana...

SHE SNIFFLES

Go on, bub.

And I come from a long line of chiefs stretching way back to Hawaiki

where our Ancient Ones are.

The ones that first heard the land crying and sent a man.

His name was also Paikea.

And I am the most recent descendant.

But I was not the leader my grandfather was expecting,

and by being born, I broke the line back to the Ancient Ones.

It wasn't anybody's fault. It just happened.

WHALE BREATHES

WHALES GROAN WEAKLY

(No wai te he?)

But we can learn. And if the knowledge is given to everyone, we can have lots of leaders,

and soon everyone will be strong, not just the ones that have been chosen.

Because sometimes, even if you're the leader and you need to be strong... you can get tired.

Like our ancestor Paikea, when he was lost at sea

and he couldn't find the land and he probably wanted to die.

But he knew the Ancient Ones were there for him

so he called out to them to lift him up and give him strength.

This is his chant. I dedicate it to my grandfather.

Ka u ki uta ra Te ika pupu hanui a te moana

Ko ahau ko te kaiee tohora

Eke ana ki te tuaranui...

..O te ika... SHE SNIFFLES

Ka to te tipua Ka to te tahi toa

Oi rerehu

Tangaroa meha.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

-She all right?

-She's asleep.

That old man know she's staying the night?

If he doesn't like it, he can sleep in the road.

Might be time for us to leave, eh, dear?

What is it?

You'd better come have a look.

No wai te hi?

WHALES MOAN

SHE MOANS AS IF IN BAD DREAM

'I called them and they came.

'But it wasn't right.

'They were dying.'

Keep it away from the blowhole, bro.

That's it. Just around the edges.

You OK?

-Kua mate.

-Ae.

SHE MOANS SOFTLY

'Koro knew what it meant.

'It was Paikea's whale.

'Sent to us because we were in trouble.'

KORO CHANTS IN MAORI

..Ka to te tipua

Ka to te tahi toa

Oi rerehu

Tangaroa meha.

Dad?

-We've got to turn it round.

-How?

Get a tractor down here and some ropes. We wait for the tide.

If we can move it, the others will follow.

-Get the men.

-They're stuffed. Half of them have been up all night.

They'll do it for you.

'It was a test.

'But for Koro this time.'

Leave it!

You've done enough.

Rere ana ko tai karekare

Ko tai honu Ko tai whakahuka iti ana...

Now!

Hiki e! Hiki e!

Toia ra!

Toia ra te tipuna,

toia ra te ariki,

toia tae ra, i a Tangaroa e!

ALL: Toia ra Toia ra Toia ra pana e!

Pana e!

To pana ra te...

Kia tae ra!

'He wanted to die.

'There wasn't a reason to live any more.'

It's no use. They're too tired.

We'll try again later. Let them rest.

Come on, dear. We'll come back.

Come on.

It's gone!

Where is she?

Where's my moko?

Where is she?

PAI!

It's OK, Paka.

'I wasn't scared to die.

Hurry up! Hurry!

SHE WAILS

ALL: Ka to te tipua Ka to te tahi toa

Oi rerehu...

Which one?

What do you mean "which one"?!

PHONE RINGS

Yes?

Thank you, dear.

I've been praying to God about it.

If that little one wakes up... I'm gonna give up the smokes.

She'd like that.

IN MAORI:

MEN CHANT

SHE CHANTS IN MAORI

THEY CHANT IN TIME TO STROKE

'My name is Paikea Apirana

'and I come from a long line of chiefs stretching all the way back to the Whale Rider.

'I'm not a prophet.

'But I know that our people will keep going forward.

'All together.

'With all of our strength.'

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