Story: Māori humor – te whakakata

Rude humour

The famously bawdy wit of Māori women is shown in this clip from the 2002 film Whale rider, directed by Niki Caro. The earnestness of the young girl Paikea, played by Keisha Castle-Hughes, is contrasted with the broad humour of her grandmother (Vicky Haughton) and her card-playing companions (Mabel Wharekawa-Burt and Rawinia Clarke).

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Whalerider
Film by Niki Caro

© 2002 South Pacific Pictures Ltd./ ApolloMedia GmbH & Co. 5. Filmproduktion KG

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How to cite this page:

Mark Derby, 'Māori humor – te whakakata - Māori humour in the 2000s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/40399/rude-humour (accessed 2 May 2024)

Story by Mark Derby, published 5 Sep 2013