The elder in this clip from Whale rider quotes a proverb, ‘He rei ngā niho, he parāoa ngā kauae’ (to have a whale’s tooth, you must also have a whale’s jaw). The item he tosses overboard is known as a ‘rei niho’ – a carved whale tooth worn as a pendant. In this context, the saying means that to retrieve the rei niho from the ocean, you would need to have the strength of a whale.
Using this item
Whalerider
Film by Niki Caro
© 2002 South Pacific Pictures Ltd./ ApolloMedia GmbH & Co. 5. Filmproduktion KG
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.
Add new comment