Koro sees it as a sign of his failure and despairs further. This raises the question what is family? Pais koro, Apirana, or Old Paka as his wife Nanny Flowers calls him, the leader of the tribe, is initially angry at losing his grandson and being left with a worthless female. Whale Rider is a unique, untypical and fascinating film. characters are most like you. (1998: 139), this highlights a form of colonial mimicry, whereby the indigenous population adopts the colonisers cultural habits. In The Whale Rider, Kahu is a young Maori girl who wants to be the chief of her tribe, but cannot be because in her culture that role is only for men. The notion of journey is apparent is Beneath Clouds by Ivan Sen, as well as in related texts Stand By Me by Rob Reiner and Bushwalking by Phillip Rush. Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. 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. Cast: Keisha Castle-Hughes (Paikea), Rawiri Paratene (Koro), Cliff Curtis (Porourangi), Grant Roa (Rawiri).]. In The Whale Rider, Kahu helps to cook and garden with Nanny Flower. History of Sex in Cinema Filmsite org. 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. The bull whale remembers his master, the "golden man. The whole village comes together to save them, but they end up dying. Even the elder women of the community are shown playing cards and smoking. Whale Rider is a great example of the problems that many cultures and families are facing around the world. : Taking Derrida, Lyotard, and Foucault to Church, MI, Baker Academic, 2006. This essay has been submitted by a student. For Koro, this symbolises the tribes contemporary crisis of identity, a loss of spiritual connection to their ancestors. The techniques that the composer uses to express the journeys are personification, onomatopoeia, repetition, similes, metaphors, music and acting skills., Whale Talk is a book of many themes. Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths and Helen Tiffin, Key Concepts in Post-Colonial Studies, London and New York, Routledge, 1998. 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. Personality determined, wise, and sensitive. Please note! So the focus of the eye humanizes the whale and connects the young girl to the animal. 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. There's an amusing sequence where they practice looking ferocious to scare their enemies. Something in a larger and more significant scale, that brings together all of the themes of the film into a magnificent final sequence. We see the different techniques employed by composers through Peter Skrzyneckis Crossing the Red Sea and Immigrants at Central Station, Shirley Geok-lin Lims The Town Where Time Stands Still and The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham., The killer whale, also known as an orca, is known to be the largest dolphin. Kahu's great-grandmother Nanny Flowers loves Kahu and does not care that she is not a boy, and has tried to convince Koro to accept her. The drama Away, by Michael Gow has been very intricately written, Gow has used physical journey to portray the inner journey taking place in each of his characters lives. The Whale Rider is a 1987 novel by New Zealand author Witi Ihimaera. Director and Screenwriter: Niki Caro. The series is part of the celebrations of the 50th . Moreover, the plot of Whale Rider follows a single thread and is linear while in the novel, there are multiple flashbacks, especially to Maori myths. The opening sequence presents a powerful juxtaposition between contemporary culture and Maori heritage, with a modern hospital birth-scene intercut with mysterious shots of a whale and a female narrator recounting the Maori tale of Paikea: a mythical descendant of the Ngati Konohi tribe who discovered Whangara on the back of a humpback whale after his canoe had capsized off the coast of Hawaiki the ancient Maori homeland. Interests whatever the boys are doing. Pai feels that she can become the leader, although theres no precedent for a woman to do so, and is determined to succeed. 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. Every single author creates some sort of journey in the stories that they write, no matter what form or medium it is in, there is always a journey being taken. He rode the whale and founded the Maori people, and from that day the tradition exists: an eldest son is the Chief of the tribe and the leader. Another theme is Independence because in chapter 15, Kristin Sweetwater finally breaks up with Mike Barbour and actually sticks with the breakup., Every December, a fleet of hungry, evil whaling vessels set sail from Japan to commence their annual hunt on the minke and humpback whales in the Antarctic Whale Sanctuary in the Southern Ocean. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. One night Paikea delivers a speech to the rest of the tribe that traces the history of her people and the significance of the Paikea legend, which she tearfully dedicates to her grandfather. By continuing, well assume you agree with our Cookies policy. Koro decides to form a cultural school for the village boys, hoping to find a new leader. Pai, of course, is banned from these classes, but she eavesdrops and enlists a wayward uncle to reveal some of the secrets of the males. Copyright 2003 - 2023 - UKEssays is a trading name of Business Bliss Consultants FZE, a company registered in United Arab Emirates. Differences Between the Whale Rider and Whale Rider Essay, Pride in Antigone and in Whale Rider Essay, The Themes of Tradition and Modernity in Bollywood Movies Essay, Family Tree and Other Customs of the Manchu Culture Essay, Enduring Issues: Conflict Between Traditional Culture and Modernization Essay, Family Traditions and Importance of Them Essay, The Importance of Culture and Traditions for Identity in Society Essay, What Should We Know About Obie Tradition Essay, Study Review on the Role of Festivals in Society and Culture Essay. But he's focused on his duties as chief of the Maori in Whangara, New Zealanda tribe that claims descent from the legendary "whale rider." While he does later form an affectionate bond with his granddaughter, carrying her to school every day on his bicycle, he also resents her and blames her for many of the troubles facing the tribe. The entire village attempts to coax and drag them back into the water, but all efforts prove unsuccessful; even a tractor doesnt help because the rope breaks. 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 gained much respect from critics, it went on in film festivals such as Sundance and Tribecca, and gained international recognition. Koro is heartbroken when he throws his whale bone into the ocean and not one of the boys manages to retrieve it. When the audience is watching the film, they compare their own family experiences with the ones in the story. Pai believes that she could serve as the chief, but her grandfather, despite his love, fiercely opposes this idea. The Whale Rider essays are academic essays for citation. 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. Lesson Plans for English Language Arts and Literature. "Our Koro was like an old whale stranded in an alien present, but that was how it was supposed to be, because he also had his role in the pattern of things, in the tides of the future". Koro attempts to discover their new leader through a cultural reform school solely for the first-born sons of every family. 808 certified writers online. 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. match. She finished the paper in a timely manner! Her mother died giving birth, and her twin brother never had a chance. Choose skilled expert on your subject and get original paper with free plagiarism Registration number: 419361 Koro sees it as a sign of failure and gets upset when Pai is touching the largest whale because he feels she has done enough damage. She made a loud sound and the whales dove into the water, as if Kahu was warning them. This relationship is ambivalent since the colonised subject is never completely opposed to the coloniser. When Pai is the only remaining family descendent, Koro becomes aggravated because she is female and will not be able to carry on the tradition of men as leaders. Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand, and Whangaras citizens do their best to carry on their traditions in the modern day. Which gives citizens the right to uphold laws when governments are too scared to do so. Deadline from 3 hours. RyanMottesheard, Girl Power: New ZealandWriter/ Director Niki Caro Talks About Whale Rider, IndieWire, June 6, 2003. 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Home / Essay Samples / Entertainment / Movies / Whale Rider. By using these techniques Niki has created a film that is emotionally connected to the viewers., b. The whales are safe again once man respects nature and the ocean again. The leader is usually a male, and because pai is a female, her grandfather, koro is unhappy about her birth. us: [emailprotected]. Unbeknown to Koro, Rawiri later takes Pai out in the boat, who not only finds the necklace, but also manages to catch a lobster as a present for her grandfather. Whale Rider, then, brings into question the notion of postcolonial identity within New Zealand, with a renewal of tribal values being presented as the means by which the Maori people learn to adapt to the modern-day demands of urbanisation. The Essay Writing ExpertsUK Essay Experts. $18.75 + $3.65 shipping. Killer whales population is decreasing every year, mostly due to them being held in captivity. When Pai asks where her people come from, in what can be considered a key scene, Koro likens their ancestral line to the intertwining strands of a rope he is using to fix a boat motor. "Man might carve his mark on the earth, but unless he's vigilant, Nature will take it all back.". Create your account, 4 chapters | Chapter 1 begins in myth, and myths explain what was once unexplainable to a people. On her journey to become the leader of the tribe, she comes across numerous amounts of challenges from her grandfather, Koro. By tradition, the leader should be the first-born son a direct patrilineal descendant of Paikea, aka Kahutia Te Rangi in the book, the Whale Rider he who rode on top of a whale from Hawaiki. Unable to cope with the loss of his wife and son, Porourangi emigrates to Europe to pursue a career as an artist, turning his back on his Maori heritage and repurposing his traditional carving skills towards a more international and commercial market. 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. Her koro Apirana believes that this is a role reserved for males only.. A nations culture resides in the heart and soul of its people- Mahatma Gandi and this culture is kept alive by what they do. Pai is just a young girl in the beginning of the film, and a leader in the end. Dont Give Up is an example of the theme because even though TJs dad turns to suicide and drugs in order to cope with the accident, he still decides to take that experience to help out children in need. The Whale Rider isn't like every other story I've read before. Download Free PDF. 197216. The beautifully poetic style and twin narrative lends itself to the analysis of language.To automatically receive all the latest news on New Windmills, why not sign-up for our Heinemann Literature eNewsletter? The first is of an indigenous girl named Kahu in a New Zealand Maori village who rediscovers the power of her people's belief that their ancestors came to their island on the backs of whales. This confidence was shattered when all boys failed in his final test of leadership, they have lost Koros closest symbolic representation of his faith: the whales tooth. The Whale Rider by Witt Alhambra has many important themes that are represented by several characters in the text such as Koru Farina, who struggles to put aside traditional values and struggles to input moored values. The effects and overall impact of a journey will depend on the characteristics of the particular journey undertaken. Analysis: The Plight Of Captive Killer Whales These animals aren't happy or healthy and keeping them in captivity is inhumane. Koros teachings of earlier cultural practices, ceremonies and mythologies help to shore up community identity in the present, with the effects of colonialism being implied as possible cause of the tribes present day problems, such as youthful apathy, lack of direction and urban drift (Wilson 2011: 204). It helped me pass my exam and the test questions are very similar to the practice quizzes on Study.com. the speedboat and tractor) connotes the complex mix of attraction and repulsion that characterises the relationship between the coloniser and colonised (Ashcroft et al., 1998: 12). Which will talk about where she comes from. Pais father refuses to assume traditional leadership; instead he moves to Germany to pursue a career as an artist. Pai states, Maori women have got to stop smoking, we have to protect our childbearings. This quote helps to show how the women do not care about their health and just smoke. Ever since the time of the whale rider, Kahu's tribe has been ruled by a male chief. Despite his love for Pai, his passion to restore the tribe through a firstborn male leader is aggravated by her very presence. They grew crops such as soybeans, apples, sorghum, and millet. Ruined by Lynn Nottage | Play, Characters, and Analysis, Analyzing & Interpreting Literature for Teachers: Professional Development, Teaching Young Adult Books & High School Literature, CAHSEE English Exam: Test Prep & Study Guide, MTLE Communication Arts/Literature: Practice & Study Guide, Literary Analysis: Lesson Plans & Activities, Famous Authors Lesson Plans & Teaching Resources, OAE School Library Media Specialist (041) Prep, Statistics for Teachers: Professional Development, Beginning Spanish for Teachers: Professional Development, Gerontology for Teachers: Professional Development, Sociology for Teachers: Professional Development, Physical Science for Teachers: Professional Development, Natural Sciences for Teachers: Professional Development, World Religions for Teachers: Professional Development, Create an account to start this course today. Nanny Flowers has often threatened to divorce Koro over his treatment of Kahu. Her father refuses leadership, and returns to Germany, but Paikea is interested, even though she is a female and it goes against all tradition. He left for New Zealand to pursue his art career, leaving Pai behind to be raised by her grandparents and aunts. The conflict between him and Pai is caused by Koros refusal to acknowledge Pai as the inheritor of the tradition, Koro is blinded by prejudice, and nobody can convince him that Pai is the natural heir. He causes Pai much hurt by doubting her, questioning her achievements, insisting in the face of everything she achieves that she is only a girl. Despite his anger, he will come, won't he? for only $16.05 $11/page. He explains to Nanny that his son can have another child. 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 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. You may use it as a guide or sample for In the end everyone from the village is celebrating her status as a leader, and working together, the waka is finished and is taken into the sea. Many voyages that heroin's encounter are regularly identified with the four mythical functions. Similarly, Smith (2006: 110) suggests the imposition of Pakeha culture and opportunities of modernity has created a lost generation amongst the Maori people, with several characters portraying the effects of this modern allure. There is a vast difference between movies for 12-year-old girls, and movies about 12-year-old girls, and "Whale Rider" proves it. You cannot copy content from our website. 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. Paikea: My name is Paikea Apirana, and I come from a long line of chiefs stretching all the way back to the whale rider. The film was a coproduction between New . He takes the remaining boys out to sea in his speedboat and throws his whale-tooth necklace overboard stating that he needs someone to demonstrate the spirit needed to recover the necklace (which symbolises the tribes connection to their ancestors). Koros adoption of Western/Pakeha clothing and his noticeable reliance on modern technologies (i.e. From this point of view, the film establishes a personal form of communication in the family, despite all cultural, racial, and geographical boundaries. She understood my main topic well and follow the instruction accordingly. Meet Kahu, a young Maori girl, and follow her journey as she contradicts the roles females are expected to play. Pai's Opening Voice-Over PAI (narrating): In the old days the land felt a great emptiness that was waiting, waiting to be filled up, waiting for someone to love her, waiting for a leader. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. What is more, Porourangi has returned with his German fianc to finish his waka and celebrate with his people. Duncan Petrie, New Zealand, in M. Hjort, D. Petrie (ed), The Cinema of Small Nations, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2007. Would you like to have an original essay? The people from Maori have been waiting for so long that they have lost hope and flight of people. In conclusion, Whale Rider is an accurate representation of modern Maori culture. 2. She stands up to her grandfather in painful scenes, she finds dignity, and yet the next second she's running around the village like the kid she is. This essay was written by a fellow student. The film Whale Rider tells the fictional story of Pai, a twelve-year-old girl living with her grandparents in the small community of Whangara on the coast of New Zealand. The films 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 tribes chiefly succession following the death of her twin brother and mother when she was born. Whale Rider Photo Credit: Everett Collection Character Analysis (Avoiding Spoilers) Growing Up without ever knowing her mother or twin brother. Towards the ending of the film Koro notices numerous whales are beached near the home. Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand tribe, believes she is destined to be the new chief. Clock is ticking and inspiration doesn't come? And if that were not bad enough, Paikea (Pai) lost her father as well. By what name was Whale Rider (2002) officially released in India in English? For example, in the beginning when Koro goes to see the baby boy and tells Nanny to take Pai away from where he is. Consequently, people must boycott companies like SeaWorld so that captive orcas can be set free into sanctuaries. 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. Soon after, there is another mass group of beached whales. The book's narrator, Kahu's uncle Rawiri, then explains that the tribe's first chief and ancestor, Kahutia Te Rangi, who is also called Paikea, came to their land on the back of a whale, making him the whale rider. The story takes place in New Zealand where the Maori people of a small village claim descent from the Whale Rider, Paikea. Rated PG-13 Explores intrinsically linked ideas of discovery through the lens of cultural identity and heritage. Available at www.indiewire.com/article/girl_power_new_zealand_ writerdirector_niki_caro_talks_about_whale_ rider. Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? 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 biggest whale, the founder of Maori culture, has a special relationship with the whale rider, a young man who sits upon its back. Those who support this Festivals have been present in people's life for ages. We will write a custom Essay on Face Negotiation Theory in the Film "Whale Rider" specifically for you. Paikea, realising what she was destined to do, proceeds to ride the large whale, sparking it into life, followed by the rest of the pod. writing your own paper, but remember to Free shipping for many products! So many films by and about teenagers are mired in vulgarity and stupidity; this one, like its heroine, dares to dream. 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 . As Koro has made it crystal clear that no girl can ever become chief, its an uphill battle, to say the least. The film ends with the village, including Pais father, uncle, and grandparents, celebrating her status as leader, as the finished waka is hauled into the sea for its maiden voyage. The Manchurians have a unique way of life. She climbs on the back of the ancient bull whale as it dives deep into the sea. The symbolism from the beginning foreshadows Pais future as a leader: a close up of the crying babys green eye mirrors the close up of a whales eye. The other text that I have studied Bran Nue Dae is also a good example of this. 1672. In the film Whale Rider depicts a culture in transition. It is shown that all people have their depth of sadness, yet in this sadness we can find out what truly connects us with those we love. To make matters worse, he names his daughter Paikea, which angers Koro who sees this as a mockery of Ngati Konohi customs and tradition. The creation myths power permits the courageous woman, Pai, to find her actual calling as a real leader of The Routledge Encyclopedia of Films, Edited by Sarah Barrow, Sabine Haenni and John White, first published in 2015. All People have the same emotions: they upset and cry, they feel happy and laugh. They initially find this strange in comparison to their modern lives but they gradually become more accustomed to Maori customs, especially the taiahi a ritual fighting stick. This shows how Koro does not want anything to do with Pai. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. *You can also browse our support articles here >. Whale Rider Year: 2002 Director: Niki Caro Rating: PG-13 Communication Concepts: Self-Concept Communication Climate (Disconfirmation) Assertiveness Whale Rider takes place in present day New Zealand, where a 12-year-old girl named Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes) is growing up in an all-Maori community. A contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young Maori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize. 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. Paikea has an intrinsic connection with right whales, an important symbol for her tribe. Editor: David Coulson. The summary of The Whale Rider is about a young girl, named Pai, who wants to be chief. The entire village trys to drag them back into the water but, where unsuccessful. When I finished the story I believe that the theme of The Whale Rider was to overcome the odds to achieve the greatness. The Whangara believe their people date back to a single ancestor, Paikea, who survived when his boat capsized in the middle of the ocean by riding to shore on the back of a whale. Retrieved from https://graduateway.com/analysis-of-the-whale-rider/, Coming Of Age across Cultures in Film: Whale Rider and Rabbit-Proof Fence Analysis, Analysis of the Film Easy Rider Directed by Dennis Hopper, Fox and coyote and whale compare and contrast. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny. 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. 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. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny. In case you can't find a relevant example, our professional writers are ready But her Grandfather, Koro Apirana, wanted a male chief for his tradition.