A letter she wrote to Rawiri while he was in Papua New Guinea read, "'I am seven. In one of the scenes Koro and Pai are talking about a speech Pai has to do for school. The film opens with Porourangi, eldest son of Koro, the current chief, anxiously supporting his wife who is in labour. 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. These three well-used techniques are camera shots, lighting and sound and dialogue. world is slowly crashing down around her. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera. Porourangi would be next in line but has no interest in returning home. 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. Koros adoption of Western/Pakeha clothing and his noticeable reliance on modern technologies (i.e. A film adaptation was made in 2002 that would go on to win several awards. assume youre on board with our, https://graduateway.com/analysis-of-the-whale-rider/. 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. He admonishes Pai against touching the largest whale because she has done enough damage with her presumption. (2016, Oct 19). Pride can be seen in both positive and negative ways. Pai is found alive and the film closes with the whole tribe embracing their Maori culture, celebrating through traditional Maori rituals. Her mother died giving birth, and her twin brother never had a chance. To become the next chief., A journey is a physical or psychological adventure that takes from one place to another. 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." Which gives citizens the right to uphold laws when governments are too scared to do so. Irving develops a fable based on truth by setting Rip's story in a village close to the Catskill Mountains and by placing the occasions before and after the American Revolutionary War. In one scene, Hami, the most promising student in Koros school, challenges Pai to a taiahi duel, which Pai eventually wins. Whale Rider is a contemporary re-telling of the 1000-year-old legend about legendary first ancestor named Paikea. But, no, her people need her--whether or not her grandfather realizes it. Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths and Helen Tiffin, Key Concepts in Post-Colonial Studies, London and New York, Routledge, 1998. 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. what's in your head? 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. In conclusion, Whale Rider is an accurate representation of modern Maori culture. What does the myth of the whale rider explain to the Maori people? Pai is a free-spirited tomboy. By Hemis father leaving so soon Hemi feels upset because he really wanted to show his father what he has learned about his culture. Copyright 2003 - 2023 - UKEssays is a trading name of Business Bliss Consultants FZE, a company registered in United Arab Emirates. The whales also are a symbol of the relationship between man and nature. 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. Only Koro had failed to turn up; distant cries had drawn him to the beach where a pod of whales lay dying. This is traditionally reserved for males. Pai herself is interested in the leadership, learning traditional songs and dances, and Taiaha fighting a traditional stick fighting method used by the Maori men. 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. On the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people believe their presence there dates back a thousand years or more to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. Registered office: Creative Tower, Fujairah, PO Box 4422, UAE. 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. Paikea has an intrinsic connection with right whales, an important symbol for her tribe. 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. 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. By Maori tradition, the tribes chief must be a direct descendant of the mythical Paikea, with first-born sons continuing this custom ever since. Journeys can be both physical and emotional. You may use it as a guide or sample for Whale Rider exemplified the Ideology of Patriarchy perfectly because of how Koro ran his tribe. Koros frustration is plain to see as he proceeds to exclude both Hami and Pai from his final challenge to determine who will become the next chief. Hemis father also shows sign of beginning internalized.. At one point Paikea decides to leave with her father because her grandfather is mistreating her. And if that were not bad enough, Paikea ("Pai") lost her father as well. The girl grows up being certain of her calling to be the next tribe leader. Pai feels that she can become the leader, although theres no precedent for a woman to do so, and is determined to succeed. She finished the paper in a timely manner! The indie film Whale Rider is an engrossing character drama with an inspirational message. The Film 'Whale Rider' uses cinematic techniques such as camera angles as an element to emphasise emotion and reactions to circumstances and conflict. "Man might carve his mark on the earth, but unless he's vigilant, Nature will take it all back.". Koro sees it as a sign of his failure and despairs further. Koro takes it upon himself to arrange another partner for his son, a teacher from Pais school, who he believes will deliver Porourangi a male child. Nanny Flowers: Pais grandmother Porourangi: Pais father Rawiri: Pais uncle 1. This essay has been submitted by a student. Pharapreising and interpretation due to major educational standards released by a particular educational institution as well as tailored to your educational institution if different; 808 certified writers online. The theme ofWhale Rideris female empowerment is not unique, but the context in which it is presented is very interesting and unusual. 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. Amelia Earhart. The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera 9,745 ratings, 3.84 average rating, 1,109 reviews The Whale Rider Quotes Showing 1-9 of 9 "He loved them deeply, but sometimes love becomes a power game between the ambitions that parents have for their children and the ambitions that children have for themselves." Witi Ihimaera, The Whale Rider 15 likes Like Paikea is a small girl that is 13 years old, and is a direct descendant of Paikea, the original whale rider. 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. Sponsored. There's an amusing sequence where they practice looking ferocious to scare their enemies. As such, the film does not present a simple rejection of modernity, rather it is the recovery of tradition in modernity, and sometimes against identity, that makes possible the renewal of identity of Paikeas people (Smith 2006: 116). Her father refuses leadership, and returns to Germany, but Paikea is interested, even though she is a female and it goes against all tradition. The book "The Whale Rider" by Witi Ihimaera is about a girl named Kahu and is in line to becoming chief in her tribe but greatly discouraged by her grandfather . Movie analysis The Whale Rider Together with Yavaraj Athur Raghuvir I watched the movie called The Whale Rider which deals with the issue of cultural restrains both as an individual and as a society. Her koro Apirana believes that this is a role reserved for males only.. 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. Antonio Sison, World Cinema, Theology, and the Human: Humanity in Deep Focus, New York, Routledge, 2012. The film is from New Zealand, though it has many Australian elements, it shows the connection between the land and the native people. In the beginning, the Manchu people were into agriculture. An enduring issue is one that many groups across time have attempted to solve with wildly varying degrees of success. Pai later proves herself to Koro at the near end of the book. Porourangis unfinished te waka (ceremonial canoe) is left abandoned on the beach, acting as a constant reminder to Koro of his unfulfilled mission to anoint another male heir to tribal leadership (Sison 2012: 122). Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. You cannot copy content from our website. It's not just an uplifting ending, but a transcendent one, inspired and inspiring, and we realize how special this movie really is. When Pai is found and brought to the hospital, Koro declares her the leader and asks her forgiveness. Without the author's use of actual time and place, Irving's tale would not have the same force or strength as an American myth. 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. 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. When she returns, her grandfather acts as if nothing has happened, and focuses more on the task at hand, finding somebody to lead the tribe. The Maori people faces a crisis as the current leaders firstborn grandchild, a baby boy dies at birth while the second born twin, a baby girl survives. She gives birth to a baby girl, but things soon take a turn for the worse as the narrator reveals, When I was born, my twin brother died and took our mother with him. Paikea: My name is Paikea Apirana, and I come from a long line of chiefs stretching all the way back to the whale rider. 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. Growing Up without ever knowing her mother or twin brother. Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand, and Whangaras citizens do their best to carry on their traditions in the modern day. AUTHOR OF THE NOVEL THE WHALE RIDER - WITI IHIMAERA The film is based on the book The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera. 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. The composers of different texts all employ a number of different techniques to convey, to the reader, their ideas about a journey and the impact that the journey being taken may have on an individual or group. Cinematographer: Leon Narbey. From then on, Whangara chiefs, always the first-born, always male, have been considered Paikea's direct descendants. No plagiarism guarantee. $15.00. We're here to answer any questions you have about our services. Pai wanted to show Koro how strong she was so he could love her. Whale Rider is a drama film of the 2002, based on the novel of Witi Ihimaera, and directed by Niki Caro. 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. Throughout the novel, Ihimaera juxtaposes the migration of a herd of whales with the Maori tribe's search for a male heir. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny. Sounds too ethnic, uplifting and feminist, right? The story follows a 12-year-old Maori girl named Paikea Apirana who struggles to earn her . This technique stresses the notion of even items separated by time being interconnected which makes them part of the oneness of the world. the boat is called a waka What was the whales name in. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. 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. 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. Free resources to assist you with your university studies! Whale Rider is a great example of the problems that many cultures and families are facing around the world. The main social issue that is brought up by the film is the function of the woman in a world controlled mostly by men. Since the largest whale traditionally belongs to the legendary Paikea. But when Koro walks away, she climbs onto the back of the largest whale and coaxes it to re-enter the ocean. Cast: Keisha Castle-Hughes (Paikea), Rawiri Paratene (Koro), Cliff Curtis (Porourangi), Grant Roa (Rawiri).]. The beginning of the film 'Whale Rider' introduces the characters in a close-up camera shot. Kahu's great-grandfather Koro is chief of the tribe, but because of his old age he is worried about who will be his heir. First of all, because Paikea is a woman, she is not fit to be the Maori leader. [Country: New Zealand, Germany. Get entertainment recommendations for your unique personality and find out which of 5,500+ Graduateway.com is owned and operated by Radioplus Experts Ltd 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. When Kahu is nine years old, a group of about 200 whales are stranded in shallow waters. 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. Ihimaera was inspired to write the book in 1985 while living in an apartment in New York overlooking the Hudson River. Pai is played by Keisha Castle-Hughes, a newcomer of whom it can only be said: This is a movie star. *You can also browse our support articles here >. The movie, written and directed by Niki Caro, inspired by a novel by Witi Ihimaera, describes these events within the rhythms of daily life. They are the Sea Shepherds and they operate under the United Nations World Charter for Nature. To make matters worse, he names his daughter Paikea, which angers Koro who sees this as a mockery of Ngati Konohi customs and tradition. When the audience is watching the film, they compare their own family experiences with the ones in the story. It is also implied that Koro had previously alienated Pais uncle Rawiri, who, given the fact he was not Koros firstborn son, was never considered a suitable leader for the tribe, leading him to lose touch with his Maori heritage. Dont Supplemental understanding of the topic including revealing main issues described in the particular theme; What is the boat called in whale rider? 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 negative side of pride can be seen in both the play Antigone, written Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) translated as The Brave-Hearted Will Take Away the Bride is romantic bollywood film directed in 1995 by Aditaya Chopra. It would have been Pais father or her twin brother if either of them were still around. Indeed, as Ryan Mottesheard (2003) argues, the film should be understood less as anthropological study of the Maori people, than a universal story of female empowerment, thus highlighting the films global appeal. Koro is the chief of these people. The whole village comes together to save them, but they end up dying. The Routledge Encyclopedia of Films, Edited by Sarah Barrow, Sabine Haenni and John White, first published in 2015. The Whale Rider: Summary & Analysis 3:26 The Tequila Worm Lesson Plan American Born Chinese Novel Lesson Plan American Born Chinese: Book Summary, Analysis & Themes . 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). A nations culture resides in the heart and soul of its people- Mahatma Gandi and this culture is kept alive by what they do. 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. Whales in the wild tend to live longer and reproduce more often to healthier offspring, which is why we should leave them there., Today the meaning of journey has been lost in many forms of literature. By tradition the heir to the leadership of the Maori tribe has to be the first born son- a direct patrilineal descendant of Paikea. Soon after, Rawiri moves to Australia and then Papua New Guinea to see the world. Koro is heartbroken when he throws his whale bone into the ocean and not one of the boys manages to retrieve it. Then man arrived from the east, and the relationship between nature and man throve. Home / Essay Samples / Entertainment / Movies / Whale Rider. Another reason why Koro pushes her away is because he believes that everything went wrong when she was born. 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. However, Koro was late, and as he was walking to the school, he notices that numerous right whales are beached near Pais home. Killer whales population is decreasing every year, mostly due to them being held in captivity.
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