Koro tells Kahu that he loves her regardless of whether she is a girl or a boy, and he names her the new leader, called Paikea, just like the founder of their tribe. The Whale Rider Witi Ihimaera 3.83 9,773 ratings1,111 reviews Eight-year-old Kahu craves her great-grandfather's love and attention. 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. A contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young Maori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize. The film shows New Zealanders, as an example for the rest of the world, that the past civilizations and cultures can continue to live on in harmony with todays world. RyanMottesheard, Girl Power: New ZealandWriter/ Director Niki Caro Talks About Whale Rider, IndieWire, June 6, 2003. Once deep within the ocean, a herd of whales was responding, and when the whales began stranding on the beach, this seemed to be a signal of an apocalyptic end to his tribe. Im not a prophet, but I know that our people will keep going forward, all together, with all of our strength. This helps to show that although the tradition was broken when she was born she is willing to be the new change and be the leader Maori has been waiting for. Recently, this tradition has come under scrutiny. For example, Porourangi uses international travel to escape the pain of losing his loved ones, as well as the responsibility to produce a male son that Koro believes will lead his people out of the darkness. The beginning of the film 'Whale Rider' introduces the characters in a close-up camera shot. The world premire was on September 2002, at the Toronto International Film Festival. The old Chief is convinced that the tribes misfortunes began at Pais birth, and calls for his people to bring their firstborn boys to him for training. Koro, who is the Chief of the Maori tribe, is the other important character of the film. It follows the journeys of Pai, a young girl, and Koro, her grandfather, who both seek to uphold and preserve the Maori tradition, which has been negatively influenced by the European culture. At the beginning of the film, we see that Koro genuinely cares for his granddaughter, but his disappointment about her gender is evident. characters are most like you. The whales are a symbol of Kahu's tribe: when the whales are safe, the tribe is safe. Marginalised from contemporary New Zealand society, the Maori community is ostensibly struggling in rural poverty and obscurity; rusting car wrecks and abandoned machinery litter the otherwise idyllic Whangara coastline (the northeast region of New Zealands North Island where the film was shot), emphasising the intrusion of Western/Pakeha culture and the effects of modernity. Fall 2014. Chapter 1 begins in myth, and myths explain what was once unexplainable to a people. Koro was very upset when Kahu was born because she was a girl, and since then has ignored her, even though she loves him very much and wants his affection. Pai herself is interested in the leadership, learning traditional songs and dances, but is given little encouragement by her grandfather. They are the Sea Shepherds and they operate under the United Nations World Charter for Nature. Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. For Bill Ashcroft et al. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of UKEssays.com. Despite his love for Pai, his passion to restore the tribe through a firstborn male leader is aggravated by her very presence. First of all, because Paikea is a woman, she is not fit to be the Maori leader. Whale Rider is the story of a girl, Pai, whose twin brother and mother die in child birth. History of Sex in Cinema Filmsite org. 545 Words3 Pages. It has a lot of awards through the world: BAFTA Childrens Award, Best Feature Film 2003; Broadcast Film Critics Association Award, Best Young Actor/Actress (Keisha Castle-Hughes) 2004; Chicago Film Critics Association Award, Most Promising Performer (Keisha Castle-Hughes) 2004; Cinemanila International Film Festival, Special Jury Prize 2003; Humanitas Prize, Sundance Film Category 2003; Independent Spirit Award, Best Foreign Film (New Zealand) 2004; Mexico City International Contemporary Film Festival and others. 2023's Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-offs. The old culture is continuously struggling to keep alive, to keep its people, its unigue traditions and customs, in a quickly changing world, that leaves the past behind. And then--well, the movie does not end as we expect. In every generation for more than one thousand years, a male heir born to the Chief succeeds to the title. Copyright 2023 service.graduateway.com. The movie, written and directed by Niki Caro, inspired by a novel by Witi Ihimaera, describes these events within the rhythms of daily life. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 Pai later proves herself to Koro at the near end of the book. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Pathetic Fallacy in Literature Overview & Examples | What is the Pathetic Fallacy? This relationship is ambivalent since the colonised subject is never completely opposed to the coloniser. But when Koro walks away, she climbs onto the back of the largest whale and coaxes it to re-enter the ocean. A man who removed a whale fossil from a riverbank at Little Wanganui on the West Coast has apologised for his actions, but the exact fate of the treasured taonga remains unknown. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. 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. Meet Kahu, a young Maori girl, and follow her journey as she contradicts the roles females are expected to play. While Kahu was visiting the family when she was two years old, she saw whales at the beach on the way back from a trip to the movies with her uncle Rawiri. Issues such as cultural differences and gender equality are presented by the composers through the clever use of devices appropriate to the medium, while using the post-colonial context to accentuate these issues. Nanny Flowers: Pais grandmother Porourangi: Pais father Rawiri: Pais uncle 1. MAIN CHARACTERS: Pai: 12 year old girl who is the only living child in the line of the tribes chiefly succession Koro: Pais grandfather and current tribe leader. Her father, Porourangi, and Koro convinced Nanny Flowers that this was a good idea. Even the elder women of the community are shown playing cards and smoking. Home / Essay Samples / Entertainment / Movies / Whale Rider. Director Niki Caro Writers Niki Caro Witi Ihimaera (book "The Whale Rider") Stars Keisha Castle-Hughes Rawiri Paratene Vicky Haughton See production, box office & company info Watch on Freevee Kahu is found floating in the ocean and protected by dolphins. It helped me pass my exam and the test questions are very similar to the practice quizzes on Study.com. A special attention should be paid to a the concept of shadows in the story, as it has an important meaning. She also secretly follows Koros lessons. When the audience is watching the film, they compare their own family experiences with the ones in the story. From this point of view, the film establishes a personal form of communication in the family, despite all cultural, racial, and geographical boundaries. some symbols in the whale rider are the whale, the whale rider, the waka, and the taiha. 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. She understood my main topic well and follow the instruction accordingly. She climbs on the back of the ancient bull whale as it dives deep into the sea. These three well-used techniques are camera shots, lighting and sound and dialogue. Car Games . This time, while no one is looking, Kahu jumps into the water and talks to the whales. This film combines elements of history, traditions, depicting them from the point of view of a child, that sees the world not in black and white terms. It is not just a family film, just an Australian film it is a film that can touch the hearts of millions. Analysis of the Whale Rider The film's plot follows the story of Paikea Apirana ("Pai") [In the book, her name is Kahu, short for Kahutia Te Rangi], a 12-year-old girl who is the only living child in the line of the tribe's chiefly succession following the death of her twin brother and mother when she was born. At the same time there is a crew of passionate volunteers making ready their vessels to make the same journey to the Southern Ocean, but they are not going there to whale. What does the myth of the whale rider explain to the Maori people? Clock is ticking and inspiration doesn't come? Even when Pai becomes rather proficient in taiana fighting, this still does not prove to Koro that she is good enough to be a leader of the people. 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. In this essay I am going to be talking about what the texts have taught me about culture and how it has shaped my understanding., A journey can be described as a passage one may undergo in order to reach a destination. "Whale Rider" [ ] Whale rider scene analysis Introduction Whale Rider follows a little girl named Paikea (whose mother and twin brother died at birth and her father is in Germany) as she tries to find acceptance from her grandfather (Koro), who blames her for "all" their issues and is chastised multiple times by Koro. 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. However, Pai is female and technically cannot inherit the leadership. Most heroes are big strong men, or mythical creatures that have thousands of stories and tales written about them.

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