Whale Rider

Paikea:
Why doesn't he want me?

Porourangi:
He's just looking for something that doesn't exist anymore.

Paikea:
A new leader? They exist.

Paikea:
It's not Koro's fault, that I'm a girl.

Porourangi:
Her name is Paikea.

Koro:
No, not that name.

Paikea:
My name is Paikea Apirana, and I come from a long line of chiefs.

Koro:
When she was born, that's when things went wrong for us.

Paikea:
A long time ago, my ancestor Paikea came to this place on the back of a whale. Since then, in every generation of my family, the first born son has carried his name and become the leader of our tribe... until now.

Koro:
Wise leader, forgive me. I am only a fledgling new to flight.

Paikea:
They were waiting for their new leader... but he died.

Paikea:
My Koro wished in his heart that I'd never been born. But he changed his mind.

Paikea:
In the old days the land felt a great emptiness. It was waiting waiting. Waiting to be filled up. Waiting for someone to love it. Waiting for a leader. And he came on the back of a whale, the man to Iead a new peopIe. Our ancestor Paikea.

Paikea:
There was no gladness when I was born.

Paikea:
By being born I broke the line back to the ancient ones. It wasn't anybody's fault — it just happened.

Paikea:
Why doesn't he want me?

Paikea:
We can learn — and if the knowledge is given to everyone — then we can have lots of leaders, and soon everyone will be strong — not just the ones that have been chosen — because sometimes even if you're the leader and you need to be strong — you can get tired…

Paikea:
I wasn't scared to die. Why though ?

Paikea:
My name is Paikea Apirana and I come from a Iong Iine of chiefs stretching all the way back to the whale rider. I'm not a prophet, but I know that our peopIe will keep going forward all together, with all of our strength.

Koro:
When you extend your tongue...you're saying to your enemies.....I'm gonna eat you...your eyes will roll back...your head will be stuck on the end of my stick. FeeI the ihi...the power. Make them feeI the wehi...the fear. I want the hairs on the backs of their necks to stand up.