Video file
Paikea, the ancestor who came to New Zealand on the back of a whale, is depicted in the carving on top of Whitirēia meeting house at Whāngārā, near Gisborne. Niki Caro’s feature film Whale rider, which has won international awards, was based on the Paikea story and filmed at Whāngārā. In this clip from the movie, Paikea (Keisha Castle-Hughes) practises her ancestral waiata, which talks of Whitirēia and the Paikea carving.
Using this item
by Niki Caro
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.