The Whale Rider

Rawiri is the main speaker of The Whale Rider, recounting the life of Kahu from the moment of her birth until she is eight years old. He is the second son of Nanny Flowers and Koro Apirana, the younger brother of Porourangi, and Kahu’s uncle. He is a very well-informed narrator whom the reader can trust. He tells the story in hindsight, including retrospection and foreshadowing techniques in his storytelling. He states phrases such as, “That was eight years ago, when Kahu was born and then taken to live with her mother’s people. I doubt if any of us realized how significant she was to become in our lives” (21). Rawiri is a credible and appropriate narrator because he is Kahu’s guardian, having been appointed as such when he aided Nanny Flowers in burying Kahu’s birth cord. Rawiri is pained when away from Kahu, admires her deeply, and constantly feels pressure never to forget her. His guardianship role is confirmed when she echoes his sentiment in a letter, telling him that he better not forget about her. Rawiri also routinely takes Kahu out on the town with him and his boys, for example, to the movies or the beach.