Characters
Main character of the story, young girl, can speak to whales
Kahu
Where was Kahu's birth cord buried?
The meeting house or the statue of Kahutia Te Rangi
What special gift does Kahu have?
She can speak to the whales and the sea
No omens were given to the people to warn them that they were losing their cultural connection to the sea and the whales.
False; bad storm when the whales died and the whales beaching themselves
What was the purpose of Koro's "special" meetings for the men?
To teach them history and customs; heritage and traditions
Traditional, old, stubborn, grandfather, leader of the tribe
Koro Aparina
How many whales died in total after beaching themselves?
200
Why doesn't Koro love Kahu?
She was born a girl
Koro is looking for a successor in all the men of the tribe.
True
What is the author's name?
Whiti Ihimaera
Narrator of the story, Kahu's Uncle, moves to Australia and to Papa New Guinea, Porourangi's brother
Rawiri
How did Koro test the boys when he took them on a boat out to sea?
He threw a carved stone out into the sea and told the boys to retrieve it
How does Kahu get back from the sea?
The old bull whale brings her back
Kahu dies at the end of the story.
False
Why did the whales leave their homes in Chapter Nine?
Undersea Radiation
Kahu's dad, remarries later in the story
Porourangi
What happened to Kahu after she disappeared at sea?
She was found unconscious in the middle of the ocean
Why have the Maori people lost their connection to the sea?
They have strayed too far away from tradition, heritage, and culture. They were choosing progress over their traditions.
Koro changes emotionally and internally as a character by the end of the story.
True
Where did Kahu go to live after her mother, Rehua, died?
To live with Rehua's Parents
grandmother, caring of Kahu, outspoken, wife of the tribe
Nanny Flowers
What three events occurred that convinced Rawiri to go back to Whangara?
1. Jeff did a hit and run and killed someone
2. On the plane, Rawi saw a sacred whale formation in the clouds
3. Rawi went to a wedding reception and wasn't very welcomed
or
4. Rawi got letters from home
What does Kahu decide to do to save her people in Chapter 20?
Sacrifices herself and goes into the sea to be with the whales.
Everyone was trying to save the whales after they had beached themselves.
False; a group of men butchered several of them on live television
In the book, what role do the whales play in the lives of the Maori people?
Sacred beings (anthromorphic)