Witi Ihimaera’s “The Whale”

In the past few decades, Maori society has been under pressure and threat of extinction by the dominant non Maori, or Pakeha worldview (Van Meijl, 2006). Thus, the influence of Pakeha on Maori culture in contemporary New Zealand is one of the most popular themes in Maori literature. Recognized as the first published Maori novelist, Witi Ihimaera has written a great number of stories, most of which focus on problems within modern Maori society (Wikipedia, n.d.). The Whale (1987) is one of his master works. This essay will discuss the key theme and language features of this short story and explore the significance of the main setting.

The setting of the sun, the fading of light in the meeting house, the dying of the stranded whale, all these scenarios build up the theme of the story, the passing of the Maori culture (Talbot, n.d.). Two main symbols are adopted by the author as the metaphor of the fading Maori culture. One is the meeting house which is a recurring symbol throughout the story. For the kaumatua, this meeting house is not only a place where “lies his family and memories”, but it also represents “the body of a tipuna, an ancestor”. It used to be a place full of respect and aroha which binds the family together as one. However, the Maori people now are more attracted by the Pakeha world and show no respect to the meeting house. For example, the young Maori even refuse to “take their…