Ihimaera establishes a clear metaphorical link between the whale’s sense of despair and the humans’. Both feel they have lost track of their own identity and place in the world because they have lost touch with each other. By beaching himself, the whale is not just preparing himself to die: he is also making a last-ditch attempt to reach out to humans and fix the broken balance between humans and nature. This is why Koro Apirana says that, if the whale dies, his people will, too: their identity and culture depend on their link to whales, and if they can’t save the ancient whale, they have lost this identity and culture forever.