Paikea: The Right Fit

The legend of Paikea is about a whale rider. In the Maori culture, there is a belief that Paikea was a famous whale rider. Because of this, the name Paikea often refers to humpback whales. Paikea received this name from the whale that rescued him. Paikea was carried by the whale along the coast of New Zealand.

This version of Paikea best fits the film, The Whale Rider. In the film, the child was named Paikea when her mother was in an emergency birth. The way that a whale rescued Paikea can be related to how the character Paikea was also rescued. She somehow managed to survive the emergency birth while her twin brother and mother did not. She was also rescued by a whale from the societal and cultural norms of female inferiority. It's fitting that the character was named Paikea because she becomes a whale rider at the end of the movie.

This description of the legend of Paikea fits very well with the film. It's a simple version, yet the film is able to portray this famous legend.



Information from: http://whales.fieldmuseum.org/behind/people/maori-whale-riders