Many people have read Witi Ihimaera's book, Whale Rider, or seen the movie adaptation of the same name. Paikea’s whale riding legend informs the story throughout as the original whale rider. But there is more to the tale than just Paikea riding a whale.
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Paikea is also the Maori word for the humpback whale. Photo: U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Public Domain.