Whale Riding

Once I saw that whale I could tell it was the leader of the whole group. I knew that if I got that one to move, the rest would move. I was going to save our people. Like Paka said, “When it dies, we die. I die. And if it lives we also live.”
This is the story of how my life changed:
“Karanga mai, karanga mai, karanga mai.” I said calling the whale. “Oh sacred ancestor I am coming to you . I am Kahu. I am Kahutia Te Rangi. I clung onto the ancient bull whale’s jaw, trying to not let the surf push me back onto shore. “Ko Kahutia Te Rangi. Ko Paikea.” I am kahutia te Rangi. I am Paikea I shouted at the whale . It shuddered saying, “ko kahutia te Rangi? Ko Paikea? I felt the whales forward fin. Quickly I put my fingers around it as the whale moved. Then I climbed onto the whales back, finding some sort of foot holes and hand holes. As it pushed away across the water, I could feel a surge of happiness from the whale. I could hear the whale saying, “it is my lord, the whale rider.”
I cried. I cried because I was frightened. I cried because Paka would die if the whale died I cried because I was lonely. I cried because I loved my baby sister, my dad, and Ana. I cried because Nanny Flowers wouldn’t have anyone to help her in her garden. I cried because Koro Apirana didn’t love me. I cried because I didn’t know what dying was like.
I ordered the whale to go into the deep sea and to let our people live. Slowly the whale and I got out into the open ocean. Whales were on both sides of me. My heart was pounding for I was Kahutia Te Rangi, the whale rider.
I was cold and my face was wet with tears, rain and the ocean water. I was sure I was going to die from drowning. Then, I made a discovery, when I pressed my face against the whales body he made a small breathing chamber for me. The whales dives got deeper and longer. I said good-bye to my family and friends. I got on the whale so that they could live for ever. I said to myself. “I am not afraid to die, I am not afraid to die.