From the book "The whale rider" by Witi Ihimaera. In the small New Zealand coastal village of Whangara, the local Maoris claim descent from Paikea, the Whale Rider. The legend tells how their ancient ancestor was saved by a whale when his canoe overturned. He arrived in Aotearoa on the whale's back. In every generation since, a male heir has succeeded to the title of chief, but now it seems that the bloodline will be broken. The current chief, Koro, has a son, Porourangi, who is expecting twins. But when Porourangi's wife and son die in childbirth, he is overcome with grief and flees the town, abandoning the surviving twin, a girl. Directed by Niki Caro Many of the themes relate to family life, and would be appropriate for students from upper primary right through to VCE. The activities and discussion points in the study notes are largely aimed at middle to senior secondary levels, but could be adapted fairly easily to other years. Relevant key learning areas include: English, Media Studies, Gender and Indigenous Issues.