For generations, this tribe was always told that a man is to be the leader. He left for New Zealand to pursue his art career, leaving Pai behind to be raised by her grandparents and aunts. some symbols in the whale rider are the whale, the whale rider, the waka, and the taiha. 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. It can mean that one has self-respect, but it can also mean that one is arrogant and has a huge ego. By Maori tradition, the tribes chief must be a direct descendant of the mythical Paikea, with first-born sons continuing this custom ever since. Niki Caro's Whale Rider - An analysis in relation to journeys. 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. In the film Whale Rider depicts a culture in transition. "Man might carve his mark on the earth, but unless he's vigilant, Nature will take it all back.". In the Paikea tribe, only the first-born son should be the leader of the tribe, which proves difficult for Paikea, since she is a female. 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. Koro is equally as upset because he feels that this is a sign for his people. Cast: Keisha Castle-Hughes (Paikea), Rawiri Paratene (Koro), Cliff Curtis (Porourangi), Grant Roa (Rawiri).]. Tradition as a Tool for Oppressing Women in Witi Ihimaera's The Whale Rider The Influence of Beliefs on Individual Life in Witi Ihimaera's "The Whale Rider." 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. 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. So it may be considered as the film about interpersonal relations. Despite his anger, he will come, won't he? Her family thought she would die, but they soon realize that she is the whale rider. Nanny Flowers has often threatened to divorce Koro over his treatment of Kahu. Cinematographer: Leon Narbey. 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. In response to Porourangis announcement and the realisation that he has failed to anoint a suitable heir to leadership, Koro gathers all firstborn males from the tribe to teach them ancient Ngati Konohi culture and traditions, with the intention that one of these boys will become the tribes next chief. Registered address: Louki Akrita, 23 Bellapais Court, Flat/Office 46 1100, Nicosia, Cyprus Whale Rider Quotes. Whale Ridershows emotional experience of a young Maori girl, Pai, who is the main character and the most bright personality in the film. By tradition the heir to the leadership of the Maori tribe has to be the first born son- a direct patrilineal descendant of Paikea. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny. However, Pai is female and technically cannot inherit the leadership. Koro sees it as a sign of his failure and despairs further. It does not march obediently to standard plot requirements but develops an unexpected crisis and an unexpected solution. 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. Koro explains to her about her ancestors and he uses a rope to demonstrate how the strings from the rope represent her ancestors. 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 . Shes only twelve years old. 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. As Pai grows older, her defiant character of a leader becomes evident. 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. 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. assume youre on board with our, https://graduateway.com/analysis-of-the-whale-rider/. Summary amp Characters Study com. 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. When I finished the story I believe that the theme of The Whale Rider was to overcome the odds to achieve the greatness. [Country: New Zealand, Germany. The program saw the city offer up to $1,200 for anyone looking to buy an electric bike, an additional $500 was also available for anyone considering a cargo bike. 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). Much to his dismay, none of the boys retrieve the pendant and Koro returns to shore, despondent. I would definitely hire her again! 194 lessons. After being told for so many years that she is worthless because she is a girl, Pai is also struggling to find acceptance and love. Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. In one scene, Hami, the most promising student in Koros school, challenges Pai to a taiahi duel, which Pai eventually wins. Free delivery for many products! Deadline from 3 hours. 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. This raises the question what is family? "Whale Rider" arrives in theaters already proven as one of the great audience-grabbers of recent years. Sep 30, 2014. 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. Some Important Scenes & Quotations from Whale Rider 1. The girl in question is Paikea, performed magnificently by Keisha Castle-Hughes in a role for which she was . She glows. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. 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. what's in your head right now? When the audience is watching the film, they compare their own family experiences with the ones in the story. 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. 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." Koros high standards make him look stubborn and that is why he pushes Pai away from him. The creation myths power permits the courageous woman, Pai, to find her actual calling as a real leader of In the arena of urban international competitiveness, cities try to raise their profile by We use cookies to offer you the best experience. 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. In every generation for more than one thousand years, a male heir born to the Chief succeeds to the title. Koro, who is the Chief of the Maori tribe, is the other important character of the film. 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. 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. 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. Something in a larger and more significant scale, that brings together all of the themes of the film into a magnificent final sequence. Living in Whangara, a small Maori village in New Zealand. 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. There are several enduring issues, such as the impact of cultural diffusion, or that of imperialism, presented Family is an important concept. The main social issue that is brought up by the film is the function of the woman in a world controlled mostly by men. 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. Paikeas grandmother, Nanny Flowers, reveals that Rawiri was once a champion taiahi fighter, and asks him to tutor Pai. Koro is the chief of these people. As well as this journeys can be a positive and negative experience. He teaches the boys to use a taiaha (fighting stick). the boat is called a waka What was the whales name in. This upsets Paikeas grandfather who out of nger says that he does not need Paikea, and that she is just a hassle. This essay was written by a fellow student. 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. : hey you why are we walking trough? characters are most like you. Pai later proves herself to Koro at the near end of the book. Meet Kahu, a young Maori girl, and follow her journey as she contradicts the roles females are expected to play in her culture and develops a relationship with whales. 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. Which will talk about where she comes from. 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. Whale Rider 15th Anniversary Edition . 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. 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). Fall 2014. 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. However, Koro was late, and as he was walking to the school, he notices that numerous right whales are beached near Pais home. When Koro tries to look for another rope, Pai ties the rope together and starts the engine. The girl grows up being certain of her calling to be the next tribe leader. The whale leads the rest of the whales back into the sea, while this is happening Nanny gives Koro the whale tooth, which Pai had gotten. Pathetic Fallacy in Literature Overview & Examples | What is the Pathetic Fallacy? And then--well, the movie does not end as we expect. Koro is bitterly disappointed when Porourangi announces to his family that he already has a pregnant lover in Germany and will not be returning home with the child, putting an end to Koros aspirations. Rehua's family wanted to raise her in their tribe. 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. The boy and the mother die. And he came on the back of a whale, a man to lead a new people, our ancestor, Paikea 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. Koro decides to form a cultural school for the village boys, hoping to find a new leader. Those who support this Festivals have been present in people's life for ages. . what's in your head? Whale Rider exemplified the Ideology of Patriarchy perfectly because of how Koro ran his tribe. 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. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. 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. The beginning of the film 'Whale Rider' introduces the characters in a close-up camera shot. The myth about Paikea says that he was rescued by a whale, after his canoe was lost in the sea. Journeys motivate the travellers to overcome their specific obstacles and undergo change. 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. Her father, Porourangi (Cliff Curtis), an artist, leaves New Zealand, and the little girl is raised and much loved by her grandparents Koro and Nanny Flowers. Unfortunately the tradition was broken when Pais twin brother passes away. 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. 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. A film adaptation was made in 2002 that would go on to win several awards. But Pai has several surprises for her tradition-bound grandfather that will open his eyes and the rest of the tribe to her true destiny. No plagiarism guarantee. Eventually, her birthfather, Porourangi, comes back and describes his current situation in life; how he lives in Germany and has a great life with a new woman, who is pregnant. Whale Rider is a unique, untypical and fascinating film. Before man, "in the years that have gone before us, the land and sea felt a great emptiness, a yearning" (8). 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. The Whale Rider Witi Ihimaera 3.83 9,773 ratings1,111 reviews Eight-year-old Kahu craves her great-grandfather's love and attention. But, no, her people need her--whether or not her grandfather realizes it. 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. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. 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. Her mother died giving birth, and her twin brother never had a chance. The story follows Paikea (Pai), who has disappointed her community by being born a girl. She uses her gifts of communicating with nature to save a beached pod of whales, and because of that she is finally accepted. On the other hand, it is a drama about relationship of a young girl and her grandfather. 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. 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. The movie, which takes place in the present day in New Zealand, begins with the birth of twins. 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. 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. 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. By the uncle being lazy he has gained weight and is not slim like before. There are moments when Pai is lost in discouragement and despair, and when her father comes for a visit she almost leaves with him. Whale Rider is the story of a girl, Pai, whose twin brother and mother die in child birth. Only Koro had failed to turn up; distant cries had drawn him to the beach where a pod of whales lay dying. 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. 545 Words3 Pages. 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. 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. Unknown to all, she had won an inter-school speech contest with a touching dedication to Koro and the traditions of the village. He is acting out of distress when he moves to Germany to pursue a career as an artist, and he has learned that he can never live up to Koros expectations. 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. Which gives citizens the right to uphold laws when governments are too scared to do so. Nanny insists on making him acknowledge his granddaughter and hands Pai to him to carry her. 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. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.
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