The film was a coproduction between New . We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. One of the students, Hemi, is also sympathetic towards her, but Koro is enraged when he finds out, particularly when she wins her taiaha fight against Hemi. This book is called The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera. Similar themes are also discovered in Swallow the Air (2006) exploring the course to discovery and the sometimes devastating circumstances that t the quest for an understanding of ones cultural heritage. Whereas the majority of her community appear disrespectful of Maori customs and traditions, Pai shows a deep affinity to the old ways and demonstrates her passion publicly. She struggles to gain the approval of her grandfather and her people. Growing Up without ever knowing her mother or twin brother. Identity can be assumed as the state of being oneself. Fearing that his granddaughter has drowned Koro finally understands that it was Pai all along who was destined to be the tribes new leader, finally accepting that he must adapt his cultural beliefs. The Maori, the native Polynesian people of New Zealand, are looking for a male descendant of Paikea the brave leader who escaped death on the back of a whale to lead them and restore the traditions. (1998: 139), this highlights a form of colonial mimicry, whereby the indigenous population adopts the colonisers cultural habits. The story of the fossil being cut from bedrock at the Little Wanganui River mouth last October sparked outrage in the local community and made headlines across the . Whale Rider exemplified the Ideology of Patriarchy perfectly because of how Koro ran his tribe. 'I heard helicopters whirling around and the ships in the river using all their sirens - a whale had Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you The whales are a symbol of Kahu's tribe: when the whales are safe, the tribe is safe. This raises the question what is family? Whale Rider is about the current chief, Koro, having to accept that the tradition of the first born males becoming the next chief will have change, and the challenges he has to overcome by letting a female become leader and breaking the tradition and letting a girl be in control. Personality determined, wise, and sensitive. For Jimmy and Roxane Henderson, though, it's what they do when their son Jordan plays hoops for Canisius College . Whale Rider is a contemporary re-telling of the 1000-year-old legend about legendary first ancestor named Paikea. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? This shows how she has leadership, since the rope represents the ancestors and by her grandfather breaking the rope shows how the culture has been broken apart. If you need this sample, insert an email and we'll deliver it to you. Recently, this tradition has come under scrutiny. Relationship Status unattached. Since the largest whale traditionally belongs to the legendary Paikea. 2. This novel unfolds the history of the Maori Tribe that by tradition the new chief would be the first born son directly descended from their ancient ancestor Paikea. He is certain that through a process of teaching the ancient chants, tribal lore and warrior techniques, the future leader of their tribe will be revealed to him. Years later Koro is determined to find a leader and begins to teach and train the boys, in which Pai is not allowed to join because she is a girl. Summary amp Characters Study com. The indie film Whale Rider is an engrossing character drama with an inspirational message. : hey you why are we walking trough? 197216. Registered office: Creative Tower, Fujairah, PO Box 4422, UAE. For example, in the beginning when Koro goes to see the baby boy and tells Nanny to take Pai away from where he is. Whale Rider, then, challenges the lineage of male dominance, with Paikeas plight serving as symbolic indictment of the mores of patriarchy, and a call for greater inclusiveness (Sison 2012: 129). Another example of how the culture is unhealthy is when Pai goes to her uncle Rawiris house to ask if he can teach her taiaha, the uncle is just lying down being lazy with his wife smoking. The Whale Rider by Ihimaera, Witi at AbeBooks.co.uk - ISBN 10: 1439517193 - ISBN 13: 9781439517192 - 2008 . Some of those themes are Dont Give Up, Independence, Abuse, Love, Happiness, and Teamwork. 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There are several similarities and differences between The Whale Rider and Whale Rider. She uses her gifts of communicating with nature to save a beached pod of whales, and because of that she is finally accepted. The leader is usually a male, and because pai is a female, her grandfather, koro is unhappy about her birth. The old whale serves as a comparison to Koro. Koros adoption of Western/Pakeha clothing and his noticeable reliance on modern technologies (i.e. The play Away by Michael Gow as well as the Poem Sail Through Your Emotions, Don't Sink by Bashyam Narayanan and The Film Into the wild by Sean Penn all display the concept of the physical journey through their use of dialogue, language, structure and theme. These three well-used techniques are camera shots, lighting and sound and dialogue. Though she is loved by her grandfather named Koro, who is the Chief of the Maori tribe, she is not accepted as a future leader, and as a person as well. The Chief of their tribe is her grandfather Koro, but there is no one to in line after him. The culture has also become unhealthy for example, when Pai comes home and notices that the women playing cards at the dinner table have been smoking. Whale Rider is a drama film of the 2002, based on the novel of Witi Ihimaera, and directed by Niki Caro. While the movie Whale Rider is set in New Zealand and reflects Mori traditions and culture, it's relatable to kids everywhere. Pai states, My name is Paikea Apirana, and I come from a long line of chiefs stretching all the way back to the whale rider. The Essay Writing ExpertsUK Essay Experts. The whales also are a symbol of the relationship between man and nature. Even the elder women of the community are shown playing cards and smoking. Sison (2012: 134) proposes that this ending follows a particular theological trajectory, with Paikeas symbolic reincarnation having a transformative impact on the community. What does the myth of the whale rider explain to the Maori people? Some Important Scenes & Quotations from Whale Rider 1. Though there is a recurrent and overarching feeling of great-whale-in-the-sea calm, strength and beauty, there is a strong undercurrent of emotional turmoil, with which each of the main characters struggle., A physical journey is more than a physical movement. The families of Maori have also become ruptured for example, when Hemi goes up to present his father only stays for a little while to watch him then leaves with his friends. It is a film for everyone who wants to learn the story of a young girl, her future and her success in a mens world. A contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young Maori girl fights to full fill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize., Whale Rider shows just how important culture and tradition is to some people. Her journey begins when she does not even know anything about becoming leader; she is living a normal life, doing her school work and living with her grandparents. Before man, "in the years that have gone before us, the land and sea felt a great emptiness, a yearning" (8). The Whale Rider tells two stories. Koros relationship with Pai erodes further when none of the boys succeed at the traditional task of recovering the rei puta (whale tooth) that he threw into the ocean this mission would prove one of them worthy of becoming leader. The story follows a 12-year-old Maori girl named Paikea Apirana who struggles to earn her . what's in your head? Koro explains to her about her ancestors and he uses a rope to demonstrate how the strings from the rope represent her ancestors. Journeys can be both physical and emotional. Home / Essay Samples / Entertainment / Movies / Whale Rider. Pai is played by Keisha Castle-Hughes, a newcomer of whom it can only be said: This is a movie star. . Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny. The whale leads the entire pod back into the sea; Paikea nearly drowns in the process. Despite his anger, he will come, won't he? This highlights the tensions between the traditional and the modern in Maori culture, with Koros stringent following of the tribes ancient traditions leading him to alienate his own kin, despite the fact that Pai shows more promise than any of the other boys. Though the film has a strong female character, there are still male dominant elements throughout it. The people from Maori have been waiting for so long that they have lost hope and flight of people. Despite his love for Pai, his passion to restore the tribe through a firstborn male leader is aggravated by her very presence. Koro, who is the Chief of the Maori tribe, is the other important character of the film. Janet Wilson, Re-representing Indigeneity: Approaches to History in recent New Zealand Australian Films, in Alistair Fox, Barry Keith Grant and Hilary Radner, (eds), New Zealand Cinema: Interpreting the Past, Bristol, Intellect, 2011, pp. Whale Rider is a 2002 New Zealand drama film written and directed by Niki Caro.Based on the 1987 novel The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera, the film stars Keisha Castle-Hughes as Kahu Paikea Apirana, a twelve-year-old Mori girl whose ambition is to become the chief of the tribe. This time, while no one is looking, Kahu jumps into the water and talks to the whales. It isn't that Koro comes or that he doesn't come, but that something else altogether happens. Disclaimer: This is an example of a student written essay.Click here for sample essays written by our professional writers. The film connects with universal themes of adolescence, and tackles topics like loss, courage, self-worth, and community. Whale Rider is the story of a girl, Pai, whose twin brother and mother die in child birth. One day Koro summons all of the young teenage boys of the village to a series of compulsory lessons on how to be a Maori, and the leader of Maoris. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Whale Rider DVD *FULL OF HOPE & WONDER* Mori + English + Eng Subs at the best online prices at eBay! Both are signs of internalized oppression. Various types of journeys can be seen clearly in the three texts studied this year: The Happiest Refugee extract, written by Anh Doh in 2010, The Silver Donkey novel by Sonya Hartnett in 2004 and the film Bend It Like Beckham directed by Gurinder Chadha in 2002. When Paikea expresses her interest she is excluded by her grandfather, who is adamant that a woman should not be involved in learning about tribal leadership. In the film, Whale Rider, through mythical creation powers, the hero endeavors to save her dying culture. However, Pai fixes the rope and the motor runs fine, much to Koros frustration; frustrated that a young girl managed to repair something he couldnt, and for what it symbolises, that a female could become chief and restore the tribe. Whale Rider is an expressive, cultural drama film by the award winning director Nikola Jean "Niki" Caro, that explores the ideas of love, rejection, tradition and gender roles. "Man might carve his mark on the earth, but unless he's vigilant, Nature will take it all back.". It can mean that one has self-respect, but it can also mean that one is arrogant and has a huge ego. Koros youngest son Rawiri, meanwhile, has turned to drugs and alcohol as a form of escape, whilst the younger children of the tribe laugh and joke as Maori rituals are performed on the marea, more concerned with football and cigarettes. Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. Nanny insists on making him acknowledge his granddaughter and hands Pai to him to carry her. Pais father leaves her because he doesnt believe that there is such thing as a leader and shows that he does not want any part of the culture. The summary of The Whale Rider is about a young girl, named Pai, who wants to be chief. By tradition the heir to the leadership of the Maori tribe has to be the first born son- a direct patrilineal descendant of Paikea.