whale rider analysis

Which will talk about where she comes from. They attempt to move the largest bull whale using a tractor, but it is a problem that cannot be resolved by modern technology. 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 movie, written and directed by Niki Caro, inspired by a novel by Witi Ihimaera, describes these events within the rhythms of daily life. Looking for a flexible role? 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. 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 summary of The Whale Rider is about a young girl, named Pai, who wants to be chief. It can mean that one has self-respect, but it can also mean that one is arrogant and has a huge ego. The 2003 movie Whale Rider is a wonderful story, aptly described in this IMDB plot summary: A contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young Maori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize. She rises to her grandfathers disapproval and even Whale Rider tells the story of Pai, who faces the subtle resentment of her grandfather Koro as he attempts to re-establish the old traditions of their ancestors. Amelia Earhart. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. She stands up for what she believes even in the face of the adults around her, and isnt afraid to take risks to do whats right. WHAT ISM DID U SEE ILLUSTRATED SEXISM: stereotypical gender roles Women: makes food: Koro utters Women setup dinner are not to smoke: a child says: Women should not smoke has to sit in the back: Koro tells Pai to move from the front row to the back row when they have a meeting in Marae Men: are fighters: boys are traditionally taught to use the taiaha fix things: Koro is not pleased when Pai can fix the motor for the boat boys do not cry: Pai finds Hemi crying and he gets upset and tells her to go away . Indeed, as Sison suggests, the cultural milieu of Whale Rider is characterised by the ongoing Maori quest for soul and identity in the postcolonial aftermath (Sison 2012: 122), and it is these themes, as well as female empowerment, which underpin the narrative. On her journey to become the leader of the tribe, she comes across numerous amounts of challenges from her grandfather, Koro. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 Something in a larger and more significant scale, that brings together all of the themes of the film into a magnificent final sequence. Car Games . Lyrics to Whalerider Found A Lie: This is another story About how things have changed Everything that i knew Was a lie You turn me upside down You shouldn't cross the line tonight Wish i could turn around And leave it all behind So i broke your heart To look 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. The genius of the movie is the way is sidesteps all of the obvious cliches of the underlying story and makes itself fresh, observant, tough and genuinely moving. 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? 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. 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. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. Pai shows the strengths of a leader through out the whole video but her grandfather does not notice it. He teaches the boys to use a taiaha (fighting stick). An error occurred trying to load this video. The whales also are a symbol of the relationship between man and nature. It's a story about a young Maori girl, Paikea Apirana that's born into the chief line along with a twin brother. "Whale Rider" arrives in theaters already proven as one of the great audience-grabbers of recent years. Similar to Things Fall Apart, the film Whale Rider by Niki Caro explores the breakdown of Maori culture in post-colonial New Zealand. A special attention should be paid to a the concept of shadows in the story, as it has an important meaning. The other roles are also strongly cast, especially Rawiri Paratene and Vicky Haughton as the grandparents. 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. The myth about Paikea says that he was rescued by a whale, after his canoe was lost in the sea. All rights reserved. Editor: David Coulson. (1998: 139), this highlights a form of colonial mimicry, whereby the indigenous population adopts the colonisers cultural habits. Koro, Pai's grandfather and leader of the Maori tribe, is devastated that their future leader has died. The bull whale remembers his master, the "golden man. Upon accepting Rawiri undergoes a transformation, immediately feeling at one with his ancient tribal heritage: This artefact of tradition has an almost sacramental character and seems to immediately recall him to himself, to remind him of not only who he is but who is called to be. Despite his anger, he will come, won't he? All work is written to order. (2016, Oct 19). Based on Witi Ihimaeras novel of the same name, Niki Caros Whale Rider is a moving depiction of a young Maori girl battling to overturn the patriarchal traditions of her Ngati Konohi tribal community. The Whale Rider Witi Ihimaera 3.83 9,773 ratings1,111 reviews Eight-year-old Kahu craves her great-grandfather's love and attention. 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. The other text that I have studied Bran Nue Dae is also a good example of this. Fall 2014. 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. In one scene, Hami, the most promising student in Koros school, challenges Pai to a taiahi duel, which Pai eventually wins. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Pai, in an attempt to bridge the rift that has formed, invites Koro to be her guest of honour at a concert of Mori chants that her school is putting on. The picture book by Colin Thompson,, Beneath the Clouds, Ivan Sen, Road Movie 2002, shows perceptions of personal discovery. The Routledge Encyclopedia of Films, Edited by Sarah Barrow, Sabine Haenni and John White, first published in 2015. Since the largest whale traditionally belongs to the legendary Paikea. 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). Koro, who is the Chief of the Maori tribe, is the other important character of the film. 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. When Pai ties the rope together this shows, how she is a leader shes willing to put the pieces together and fix the culture that has lost hope. For Bill Ashcroft et al. 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. 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. By Hemis father leaving so soon Hemi feels upset because he really wanted to show his father what he has learned about his culture. 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. Living in Whangara, a small Maori village in New Zealand. We`ll do boring work for you. The film was a coproduction between New . She climbs on the back of the ancient bull whale as it dives deep into the sea. writing your own paper, but remember to Get entertainment recommendations for your unique personality and find out which of 5,500+ She finished the paper in a timely manner! Whale Rider shows so many interesting and emotional themes: failure and hope, strength, and determination, all of them are witnessed in the points of past, present, and future ideals. 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. As Koro has made it crystal clear that no girl can ever become chief, its an uphill battle, to say the least. There are three different types of journey; they are inner, physical and imaginative. Whale Rider (15th Anniversary Edition) [New Blu-ray] Shout Factory Select. Some of those themes are Dont Give Up, Independence, Abuse, Love, Happiness, and Teamwork. At school, she is the most interested in Paikea culture and origins, unlike the other boys. characters are most like you. 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. However, Nanny tells Pai that her second son, Pais uncle, had won a taiaha tournament in his youth while he was still slim, so Pai secretly learns from him. Personality determined, wise, and sensitive. The characters and relationships are rather complex and intricate, they are developing through the film, and the audience makes a journey through heroes lives. When Koro finds out he chastises Paikea, warning her that by tampering with sacred traditions she has shamed her community. The film "Whale rider" is considered to be a personal and family drama, showing that families even in the most far away parts of the world have similar relations and personal problems. The whales are a symbol of Kahu's tribe: when the whales are safe, the tribe is safe. 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, 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. When Pai is found and brought to the hospital, Koro declares her the leader and asks her forgiveness. There's an amusing sequence where they practice looking ferocious to scare their enemies. Challenge. This essay has been submitted by a student. In the arena of urban international competitiveness, cities try to raise their profile by We use cookies to offer you the best experience. The film opens with Porourangi, eldest son of Koro, the current chief, anxiously supporting his wife who is in labour. 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. The validity of Woolfs claims is seen through Pais actions and outlooks where her androgynous mind and woman-manly characteristic allows for the full spectrum of being human; having both male and 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. " Do you think that the whale is as old . us: [emailprotected]. Koro had believed that Porourangis first-born was destined to be the boy who would be chief, responsible for leading the community into a new age of prosperity, and he initially refuses to acknowledge his granddaughter. Traveling, in basketball, is a player taking too many steps without dribbling. It won the audience awards as the most popular film at both the Toronto and Sundance film festivals, played to standing ovations, left audiences in tears. Much to his dismay, none of the boys retrieve the pendant and Koro returns to shore, despondent. Whale Rider Summary The movie is about Pai, a 12 year old who is the only living child in the line of the tribe's chiefly succession because of the death of her twin brother and mother during childbirth. Though the film has a strong female character, there are still male dominant elements throughout it. Koros eyes, mirrored in these events, portray a great sadness to the films audience. Please note! No plagiarism guarantee. This is not a simplistic fable but the story of real people living in modern times. 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. 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. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. Sounds too ethnic, uplifting and feminist, right? Pai feels, that she can become the leader, but it is impossible for a woman to do so, and she is given little encouragement by her grandfather. match. In the film Whale Rider depicts a culture in transition. The old whale serves as a comparison to Koro. 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. 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). Koro attempts to discover their new leader through a cultural reform school solely for the first-born sons of every family. Interests whatever the boys are doing. cite it correctly. This technique stresses the notion of even items separated by time being interconnected which makes them part of the oneness of the world. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Whale Rider (Lions Gate) (2002)(DVD)*DISC ONLY at the best online prices at eBay! Traditionally family was described as a group of individuals We are nothing but bricks from our cultural moulds Bangambiki Habyarimana, Book of Wisdom However, Pai is female and technically cannot inherit the leadership. If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help! 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. This shows how Koro does not want anything to do with Pai. These three well-used techniques are camera shots, lighting and sound and dialogue. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. 194 lessons. First of all, because Paikea is a woman, she is not fit to be the Maori leader. A letter she wrote to Rawiri while he was in Papua New Guinea read, "'I am seven. 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. : hey you why are we walking trough? 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. Pai later proves herself to Koro at the near end of the book. Summary; Recently Viewed; Bids/Offers; Watchlist; Purchase History; Buy Again; Selling; Saved Searches; Saved Sellers; My Garage; Messages; Collection beta; The eBay vault; Notification. 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. 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. So it may be considered as the film about interpersonal relations. So The Whale Rider shows deep levels of character development: as we see Koros great sadness, Nannys love for the family, and how Pais. It would have been Pais father or her twin brother if either of them were still around. In one of the scenes Koro and Pai are talking about a speech Pai has to do for school. 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. All rights reserved. The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera Buy Study Guide The Whale Rider Summary The story begins with a focus on the ancient days, when nature and all wildlife were excitedly waiting for the coming of man. 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." When the whale accepts Kahu as a leader, Koro does as well. This essay was written by a fellow student. The Essay Writing ExpertsUK Essay Experts. Deadline from 3 hours. Her father, Porourangi, and Koro convinced Nanny Flowers that this was a good idea. Growing Up without ever knowing her mother or twin brother. These are their battles this is their war., Culture is the characteristics of a particular group of people, defined by language, religion, social habits, traditions, stories and music. Koro is equally as upset because he feels that this is a sign for his people. 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. For Jimmy and Roxane Henderson, though, it's what they do when their son Jordan plays hoops for Canisius College . When she goes out to sea, Nanny Flowers shows Koro the whale tooth which Pai had previously recovered. I recite these facts right at the top of this review because I fear you might make a hasty judgment that you don't want to see a movie about a 12-year-old Maori girl who dreams of becoming the chief of her people. Eventually the rest of the tribe make their way to the shore, with the beached whales igniting in them a communal strength they believed was forgotten as they work tirelessly to lure the whales back towards the ocean. 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. Caro effectively uses the different generations starting with the eldest, that of Koro and other traditional leaders, to the youngest generation of Paikea through a complex story that shows traditional change. 545 Words3 Pages. The Whale Rider starts a thousand years ago, with a pod of whales. Koros adoption of Western/Pakeha clothing and his noticeable reliance on modern technologies (i.e. 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. And then--well, the movie does not end as we expect. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny. 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). 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. The Film 'Whale Rider' uses cinematic techniques such as camera angles as an element to emphasise emotion and reactions to circumstances and conflict. "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". Porourangi offers to take Paikea with him back to Europe, but as she looks out to sea she feels the pull of her ancestors and cannot abandon her heritage. Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand tribe, believes she is destined to be the new chief. In a small New Zealand coastal village, Maori claim descent from Paikea, the Whale Rider. Duncan Petrie, New Zealand, in M. Hjort, D. Petrie (ed), The Cinema of Small Nations, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2007. This time, while no one is looking, Kahu jumps into the water and talks to the whales. In The Whale Rider, Kahu helps to cook and garden with Nanny Flower. By categorising different forms of literature into these three options, the meaning of journey can be easily derived and the techniques in which they are constructed can be more fully understood and appreciated. As for Pai, all she wants to do is to earn Koros respect this point is brightly illustrated in the scene where she gives a speech dedicated to Koro. what's in your head? The creation myths power permits the courageous woman, Pai, to find her actual calling as a real leader of Both text are similar as they discuss issues of poverty within the indigenous communities along with the longing to discover themselves through discovering their past., The film Whale Rider took me on a whale of an emotional ride. 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. Journeys motivate the travellers to overcome their specific obstacles and undergo change. From the beginning, Paikea, or Pai, is a young girl in a mans world. Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. 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. This raises the question what is family? 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. 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. Free resources to assist you with your university studies! I highly recommend you use this site! 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. Whale Rider is a contemporary re-telling of the 1000-year-old legend about legendary first ancestor named Paikea. some symbols in the whale rider are the whale, the whale rider, the waka, and the taiha. I feel like its a lifeline. 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. How indigenous societies must fight through the legal system to gain title to their land.. The movie shows this visually and thematically all throughout the story. He doesnt see that Pai is the leader that the people of Maori have been waiting for. 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. 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. 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 . This story has a strong female leader who never gave up in what she thought her destiny was. 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. Meet Kahu, a young Maori girl, and follow her journey as she contradicts the roles females are expected to play. 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. 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. Many centuries ago a legendary ancestor named Paikea brought there the Maori people, who still lives there. Pai feels that she can become the leader, although theres no precedent for a woman to do so, and is determined to succeed. Niki Caro's Whale Rider - An analysis in relation to journeys. 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. In every generation for more than one thousand years, a male heir born to the Chief succeeds to the title. Dont 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. To take advantage of all of CharacTours features, you need your own personal Pais father refuses to assume traditional leadership; instead he moves to Germany to pursue a career as an artist. Another example is how Pais father leaves Pai with Koro while hes in Germany pursuing his career as an artist. However she finds that she cannot bear to leave the sea as the whale seems to be calling her back, tells her father to turn the car back and returns home. Soon after, Rawiri moves to Australia and then Papua New Guinea to see the world. But Koro always rejected Pai just because she's a girl. . Production Company: South Pacific Pictures, ApolloMedia Distribution, Pandora Filmproduktion. 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. Rawiri takes up the challenge with fervour and not only trains Paikea to be the best in the tribe but also recovers his own sense of identity and self worth. (Smith 2006: 113). Paikea is interested, but she cannot join since she is a girl. A Maori family, despite their beliefs or rituals, can be just like an American family, or any other one. By what name was Whale Rider (2002) officially released in India in English? Pai climbs onto the back of the whale and makes it re-enter the ocean.

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