The Whale Rider - an exploration of New Zealand through Witi Ihimaera’s Novel

Posted: Wednesday Apr 26, 2023

Hybrid lecture series

You are invited to join the Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany to immerse yourselves in Witi Ihimaera's novel "The Whale Rider". The book tells the story of Kahu, the daughter of a respectable Māori family, who struggles to take her place in the iwi (tribe) and win the love and respect of her grandfather, the chief of the iwi. It is a story of rejection and reconciliation, tradition and renewal and most importantly, the deep connection between humans and nature.

To foster cross-cultural exchange about the novel there are a number of hybrid lecture series and Q&As with experts from Mainz and New Zealand. The project, which received an award from the Stifterverband and the Klaus Tschira Foundation as part of the “One University – One Book” program, welcomes you to embark on a multidisciplinary exploration of New Zealand life and literature in times of critical debates about postcolonialism, decolonisation and climate change.

Livestream: NZST Thursdays 6:00 to 7:30 a.m (starting Thursday 27 April until 6 July)

All information at: https://eine-uni-ein-buch.uni-mainz.de/programm/ringvorlesung