The Whale Rider

This phrase appears throughout the novel whenever an action that adheres to Fate is actualized. The first instance where this phrase is seen is when the final spear is thrown, and Kahutia Te Rangi proclaims that it will strike land when man needs it once more. In the throwing of the spear, Kahu’s Fate is subsequently sealed. The phrase appears again when Kahu’s birth cord is buried under the statue of Kahutia Te Rangi. From a literary standpoint, not only is Kahu’s Fate as the final spear further explained, but it is also foreshadowed. Therefore, this phrase can also be used to track important moments in the novel that develop the plot and add instances of foreshadowing. Ihimaera also uses the phrase during the sections dedicated to the whale’s migration. He writes, “They were right to worry because the ancient whale could only despair that the place of life, and the Gods, had now become a place of death. The herd thundered through the sea. Haumi e, hui e, taiki e. Let it be done” (33). This particular use of the phrase alludes to the eventual stranding of the whales on Whangara, turning the island into a place of death. Ihimaera also couples the Maori language with the English phrase “Let it be done.” In Maori, “Haumi e, hui e” is spoken by a single person, and then the group responds with “taiki e.” It is similar to proclaiming “Amen” as a confirmation of belief. Other instances where the phrase is used include when the ancient bull whale approaches the beach from the sea, Kahu retrieves the carved stone, and Koro Apirana believes the stranded whales to be a sign. The final instance where the phrase is used is when the ancient bull whale finally understands that Kahu is the final spear. In understanding Kahu’s Fate, he understands both his own Fate and the function of Fate in life itself. As they return Kahu to land to fulfill her role as the final spear, Ihimaera writes, “Let it be done,” finalizing for the last time Kahu’s destiny (76).