whale rider analysis

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. 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. 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. The Whale Rider (2002) Summary and Analysis - UKEssays.com James K A Smith, Whos Afraid of Postmodernism? 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. Whale Rider is a contemporary re-telling of the 1000-year-old legend about legendary first ancestor named Paikea. This shows how Koro does not want anything to do with Pai. PDF Whale Rider - Film Education the boat is called a waka What was the whales name in. 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. Cast: Keisha Castle-Hughes (Paikea), Rawiri Paratene (Koro), Cliff Curtis (Porourangi), Grant Roa (Rawiri).]. Much to his dismay, none of the boys retrieve the pendant and Koro returns to shore, despondent. 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 biggest whale, the founder of Maori culture, has a special relationship with the whale rider, a young man who sits upon its back. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. From then on, Whangara chiefs, always the first-born, always male, have been considered Paikea's direct descendants. Spirituality & Practice: Resources for Spiritual Journeys If your specific country is not listed, please select the UK version of the site, as this is best suited to international visitors. 4.08 Graded Assignment Creating an American Mythology redone.docx Pai feels that she can become the leader, although theres no precedent for a woman to do so, and is determined to succeed. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Ever since the time of the whale rider, Kahu's tribe has been ruled by a male chief. 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. 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. 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). drug reference momentary along with brief language is Whale Rider Obituaries Death Notices Newspaper Obituaries Online April 30th, 2018 - Legacy com is the leading provider of online obituaries for the . 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. Her father refuses leadership, and returns to Germany, but Paikea is interested, even though she is a female and it goes against all tradition. 9781439517192: The Whale Rider - Ihimaera, Witi: 1439517193 - AbeBooks What does the waka in whale rider represent? - Answers 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. 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. When the whale accepts Kahu as a leader, Koro does as well. While the grandfather is explaining about the ancestors, hes trying to start the engine but the rope breaks. 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. This hero is an unlikely one, a small girl, from a small tribe, in a small village in New Zealand. 2017 11 12 1510446082 | Free Essay Examples | EssaySauce.com 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. 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. 'I heard helicopters whirling around and the ships in the river using all their sirens - a whale had "Whale Rider" arrives in theaters already proven as one of the great audience-grabbers of recent years. All work is written to order. Paikea: My name is Paikea Apirana, and I come from a long line of chiefs stretching all the way back to the whale rider. Although Koro thinks everything will never be the same he is wrong. It's a story about a young Maori girl, Paikea Apirana that's born into the chief line along with a twin brother. 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. 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. Duncan Petrie, New Zealand, in M. Hjort, D. Petrie (ed), The Cinema of Small Nations, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2007. 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. The movie, written and directed by Niki Caro, inspired by a novel by Witi Ihimaera, describes these events within the rhythms of daily life. She struggles to gain the approval of her grandfather and her people. By the uncle being lazy he has gained weight and is not slim like before. Dont Lesson Plans for English Language Arts and Literature. WHAT ARE EXAMPLES OF INTERNALIZED OPPRESSION Porourangi worked on building a Waka (canoe), a Maori cultural tradition, before the birth of his twins but due to his loss of wife and son, he stops and moves to Germany. 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). Pharapreising and interpretation due to major educational standards released by a particular educational institution as well as tailored to your educational institution if different; While Kahu was visiting the family when she was two years old, she saw whales at the beach on the way back from a trip to the movies with her uncle Rawiri. Consequently, people must boycott companies like SeaWorld so that captive orcas can be set free into sanctuaries. The girl in question is Paikea, performed magnificently by Keisha Castle-Hughes in a role for which she was . The film gained much respect from critics, it went on in film festivals such as Sundance and Tribecca, and gained international recognition. In The Whale Rider, Kahu helps to cook and garden with Nanny Flower. Paikea has an intrinsic connection with right whales, an important symbol for her tribe. requirements? These three well-used techniques are camera shots, lighting and sound and dialogue. To make matters worse, he names his daughter Paikea, which angers Koro who sees this as a mockery of Ngati Konohi customs and tradition. Characters in The Whale Rider by Witt Alhambra - PHDessay.com 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. Another reason why Koro pushes her away is because he believes that everything went wrong when she was born. Her father, Porourangi, and Koro convinced Nanny Flowers that this was a good idea. Whale Rider Essay - 1141 Words | Bartleby In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism. On her journey to become the leader of the tribe, she comes across numerous amounts of challenges from her grandfather, Koro. assume youre on board with our, https://graduateway.com/analysis-of-the-whale-rider/. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . 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. $15.00. Whale Rider: Summary & Analysis | Jotted Lines Nanny insists on making him acknowledge his granddaughter and hands Pai to him to carry her. The Chief of their tribe is her grandfather Koro, but there is no one to in line after him. The beginning of the film 'Whale Rider' introduces the characters in a close-up camera shot. Whale Rider - Rotten Tomatoes Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. 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. 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. If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing service is here to help! "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". Stephanie loves to read and has a bachelors degree in History. 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. Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. 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. The story then leaps forward 11 years, by which time Koro has developed a strong, (albeit slightly belligerent) affection for his granddaughter, who he only ever calls Pai, denying the true power and meaning of her full name. 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. However, Koro was late, and as he was walking to the school, he notices that numerous right whales are beached near Pais home. While the movie Whale Rider is set in New Zealand and reflects Mori traditions and culture, it's relatable to kids everywhere. The movie, which takes place in the present day in New Zealand, begins with the birth of twins. Rehua's family wanted to raise her in their tribe. Unknown to all, she had won an inter-school speech contest with a touching dedication to Koro and the traditions of the village. Whale Rider (2002) - Plot - IMDb A contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young Maori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize. Whale Rider exemplified the Ideology of Patriarchy perfectly because of how Koro ran his tribe. She climbs on the back of the ancient bull whale as it dives deep into the sea. 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. *You can also browse our support articles here >. The story follows a 12-year-old Maori girl named Paikea Apirana who struggles to earn her . 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. If you need this sample, insert an email and we'll deliver it to you. The Whale Rider is a 1987 novel by New Zealand author Witi Ihimaera. She finished the paper in a timely manner! Whale Rider - Oxford University Press 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. Throughout the novel, Ihimaera juxtaposes the migration of a herd of whales with the Maori tribe's search for a male heir. 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 story takes place in New Zealand where the Maori people of a small village claim descent from the Whale Rider, Paikea. This website helped me pass! Production Company: South Pacific Pictures, ApolloMedia Distribution, Pandora Filmproduktion. 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Whale Ridershows emotional experience of a young Maori girl, Pai, who is the main character and the most bright personality in the film. So the focus of the eye humanizes the whale and connects the young girl to the animal. 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. 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. Some Important Scenes & Quotations from Whale Rider 1. The myth about Paikea says that he was rescued by a whale, after his canoe was lost in the sea. Whale Rider is about the current chief, Koro, having to accept that the tradition of the first born males becoming the next chief will have change, and the challenges he has to overcome by letting a female become leader and breaking the tradition and letting a girl be in control. Whale Rider Photo Credit: Everett Collection Character Analysis (Avoiding Spoilers) Growing Up without ever knowing her mother or twin brother. But when Koro walks away, she climbs onto the back of the largest whale and coaxes it to re-enter the ocean. The film connects with universal themes of adolescence, and tackles topics like loss, courage, self-worth, and community. Whale Rider (15th Anniversary Edition) [New Blu-ray] Shout Factory Select. Koros adoption of Western/Pakeha clothing and his noticeable reliance on modern technologies (i.e. Some Important Scenes & Quotations from Whale Rider - Carmel High School Im not a prophet, but I know that our people will keep going forward, all together, with all of their strength.. Meet Kahu, a young Maori girl, and follow her journey as she contradicts the roles females are expected to play. Traditionally family was described as a group of individuals We are nothing but bricks from our cultural moulds Bangambiki Habyarimana, Book of Wisdom The story takes place in the small town Whangara in New Zealand. She leaves with her father, but on their way to the airport, she suddenly decides to turn around and return to her grandparents, for she cannot leave them. 2. The world premire was on September 2002, at the Toronto International Film Festival. Both are signs of internalized oppression. You may use it as a guide or sample for This video fits the requirement for the Whale Rider video analysis of Dr. Ann McClellan's Global Literature class at Plymouth State University. What's in Your Head? | Whalerider Lyrics, Song Meanings, Videos, Full Disclaimer: This is an example of a student written essay.Click here for sample essays written by our professional writers. And he came on the back of a whale, a man to lead a new people, our ancestor, Paikea Challenge. In the film Whale Rider depicts a culture in transition. what's in your head? This technique stresses the notion of even items separated by time being interconnected which makes them part of the oneness of the world. 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. 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. 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. Instead, she spies on them and does everything the class does, except by herself. (1998: 139), this highlights a form of colonial mimicry, whereby the indigenous population adopts the colonisers cultural habits. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. He admonishes Pai against touching the largest whale because she has done enough damage with her presumption. Ihimaera was inspired to write the book in 1985 while living in an apartment in New York overlooking the Hudson River. The Film 'Whale Rider' uses cinematic techniques such as camera angles as an element to emphasise emotion and reactions to circumstances and conflict. All rights reserved. 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 Please note! The whales also are a symbol of the relationship between man and nature.