Whale Rider
Directed by Niki Caro, and based on the novel by writer Witi Ihimaera, Whale Rider was filmed in and around the tiny beachside township of Whangara on the Gisborne and Eastland coastline. This haunting tale of Maori myth and leadership won the People's Choice Award at the 2002 Toronto Film Festival and the World Cinema Audience Award at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival, bringing the region's rugged beauty and rich Maori heritage to international attention.
Steeped in tradition and legend, the Gisborne and Eastland region has been settled by Maori for more than 1000 years, and offers a wealth of attractions and activities for visitors to experience, from vineyards and marae visits to adventure options such as fishing, riding, surfing and whitewater rafting. The region embraces Poverty Bay - Captain Cook's first landing in New Zealand - the historic city of Gisborne, with its thriving wineries, and the remote East Cape, which marks New Zealand's most easterly point.
The Story of Whale Rider
Whale Rider reworks the legend of Witi Ihimaera's people at Whangara, which tells how their ancestor, Paikea, arrived at the East Coast on the back of a mighty whale. Ihimaera was inspired to write his book during his years in New York, when he lived in an apartment overlooking the Hudson River. The sight of a whale spouting on the river in 1985 reminded Ihimaera of his people's legend, and led to his story about young Paikea and her grandfather, Koro. Koro is seeking a male heir to succeed him as a leader for the people at Whangara, and young Paikea is determined to prove herself worthy. To do so, she must embark on a demanding spiritual journey to win her grandfather's understanding and acceptance.
Links to Whale Rider websites:
Whale Rider the movieInto the Heart of Maori Culture
Whale Rider film Location - Whangara
The small beachside community of Whangara is the heart of Niki Caro's acclaimed film Whale Rider, and retains a strong Maori character and heritage. Just 30km north of Gisborne, Whangara is the hometown of Witi Ihimaera, who wrote the novel Whale Rider. It belongs to the ancestral lands of the Ngati Porou tribe, although Whangara's hapu (sub-tribe) is the Ngati Konohi. Visitors who are interested in seeing where the movie was made can take a three-hour
Guided Whale Rider Tour to Whangara from the
Gisborne Information Centre (209 Grey Street). It visits the house where much of the filming took place, and also provides a chance to talk with one of the cultural advisors to the film. There are a range of credible touring companies providing services to those who are intrested in group travel in Eastland.