Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths and Helen Tiffin, Key Concepts in Post-Colonial Studies, London and New York, Routledge, 1998. "The whale rider" Abstract "Whale Rider" is a episode film of the 2002, predicated on the book of Witi Ihimaera, and directed by Niki Caro. Paikea’s grandmother, Nanny Flowers, reveals that Rawiri was once a champion taiahi fighter, and asks him to tutor Pai. Link to Theme - Paikea came from Hawaiki on the back of a whale to help people on the marae. A contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young Maori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize. Pai Main character and the new ‘whale rider’ Born into a line of chiefs Has all the qualities of a leader Struggles against gender stereotypes and Koro 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). 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. Pai sympathises with Koro and prays to her ancestors for help, with a voice-over revealing, ‘They heard me’, initiating the film’s most iconic and emotional sequence. Whale Rider The “Whale Rider”, filmed in New Zealand and directed by Niki Caro, is a film based on the novel of the same name, by Witi Ihimaera.Many of the extras in the film were actual residents of the town Whangara. 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 yells at children. Antonio Sison, World Cinema, Theology, and the Human: Humanity in Deep Focus, New York, Routledge, 2012. In one scene, Hami, the most promising student in Koro’s school, challenges Pai to a taiahi duel, which Pai eventually wins. The legend of paikea is that when the Maori community migrated to New Zealand but Paikea's Canoe sank so he called to the ancient ones for help and they heard him. The Whale Rider is a 1987 novel by New Zealander Witi Ihimaera. 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. Whale Rider (Polynesian Culture) Every other culture have their own traditions and they keep them alive as they are part of what gives them identity and their lives more meaning. There's brief strong language regarding female and male genitalia.Characters drink and smoke, and there's a brief drug reference (a bag of marijuana and drug paraphernalia are shown). Her father does not feel a similar call; he moves overseas to Germany to become an artist. Directed by Niki Caro. If you’ve ever felt discriminated against because of your gender, this is the book for you. She beats star student Hemi, with whom she is friends, at taiaha. 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. The world première was on September 2002, at the Toronto International Film Festival. Synopsis. He becomes abusive, and Pai decides to move in with her father because of it, but she can't seem to get the ocean out of her blood. Author: Created by lucybaron. The story takes place in New Zealand where the Maori people of a small village claim descent from the Whale Rider, Paikea. Chapter 4 6 recap Literacy01. When Koro finds out he chastises Paikea, warning her that by tampering with sacred traditions she has shamed her community. Pai's entire family comes together to celebrate her leadership of the tribe and a ceremonial canoe is prepared for her. Based on Witi Ihimaera’s novel of the same name, Niki Caro’s Whale Rider is a moving depiction of a young Maori girl battling to overturn the patriarchal traditions of her Ngati Konohi tribal community. this section. 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. These two share many common themes such as sexism, discrimination, and loss. Whale Rider (2002 Film) Summary. Whale Rider Analysis 773 Words | 4 Pages. The two main characters of each story share one major characteristic in common. Her people claim descent from Kahutia Te Rangi, the legendary ‘whale rider.’ In every generation since Kahutia, a male heir has inherited the title of chief. The Whale Rider Summary. The planet première was on September 2002, at the Toronto International Film Celebration. Pai wants to be leader of the tribe one day. Cast: Keisha Castle-Hughes (Paikea), Rawiri Paratene (Koro), Cliff Curtis (Porourangi), Grant Roa (Rawiri).]. Creation myth year 11 Literacy01. Whale RideR Mat No | 10 storyboarDing Read the following excerpt from the book The Whale Rider. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. There is a vast difference between movies for 12-year-old girls, and movies about 12-year-old girls, and "Whale Rider" proves it. The novel is divided into four parts, including a prologue, epilogue and glossary. The film portrays a Maori tribe that tells the story of a long-held tradition. All the content of this work reflects his personal knowledge about The Whale Rider Summary For Each Chapter and can be used only as a source for writing a similar paper. Niki Caro’s acclaimed film, Whale Rider, is an aspiring story of a young Maori girl’s pursuit to prove herself to her grandfather and to undertake her destiny as the tribal leader. Sexual Content: B Woman is pregnant outside of marriage. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. Parents need to know that Whale Rider has some tense family confrontations.The death of a mother and baby in childbirth is very sad. Only Koro had failed to turn up; distant cries had drawn him to the beach where a pod of whales lay dying. The Routledge Encyclopedia of Films, Edited by Sarah Barrow, Sabine Haenni and John White, first published in 2015. Her grandfather, Chief of Whangara has old-fashioned attitudes that blind him to his granddaughter’s potential as his successor. By Maori tradition, the tribe’s chief must be a direct descendant of the mythical Paikea, with first-born sons continuing this custom ever since. Pai follows the lessons without his knowledge, and she also takes lessons from her uncle who won taiaha tournaments when he was her age. It is also implied that Koro had previously alienated Pai’s uncle Rawiri, who, given the fact he was not Koro’s firstborn son, was never considered a suitable leader for the tribe, leading him to lose touch with his Maori heritage. Then, use the book excerpt and “translate” it into single frames. The Question and Answer section for Whale Rider (2002 Film) is a great WHALE RIDER When talking about choosing the location to shoot Whale Rider, the film’s producer, John Barnett says: 'The novel was set in Whangara and it would almost have been heresy to shoot anywhere else. 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). Ancient lore says that this means she is the leader. Barbour, Polly. Brief chapter summaries of the novel ‘Witi Ihimaera’ to aid planning and teaching of the novel. 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. Her grandmother shows Koro the whale tooth which Pai had found in the ocean. (1998: 139), this highlights a form of colonial mimicry, whereby the indigenous population adopts the coloniser’s cultural habits. She realizes that she has to reach out to her grandfather with an olive branch and invites him to her school for a concert of Maori chants, Koro is guest of honor, but runs late for the concert and on his way to the school sees a number of southern right whales beached near Pai's home. Whale Rider Analysis 1205 Words | 5 Pages. Then man arrived from the east, and the relationship between nature and man throve. With a constant movement forwards by the tribe, she knows that they will grow ever stronger. Chapter summaries of 'The Whale Rider' by Witi Ihimaera (no rating) 0 customer reviews. Much to his dismay, none of the boys retrieve the pendant and Koro returns to shore, despondent. Buy Study Guide. They attempt to move the largest bull whale using a tractor, but it is a problem that cannot be resolved by modern technology. Halcyon's flight Literacy01. Whale Rider - Set in the East Coast town of Whāngārā, Whale Rider tells the tale of a young Māori girl, Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes), who challenges tradition and embraces the past in order to find the strength to lead her people forward. Available at www.indiewire.com/article/girl_power_new_zealand_ writerdirector_niki_caro_talks_about_whale_ rider. Porourangi’s 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). Whale Rider (2002 Film) study guide contains a biography of director Niki Caro, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. The Whale Rider is definitely in my top ten list of all-time favorite books. After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. Her grandfather Koro Apirana believes that this is a role reserved for males only. Not affiliated with Harvard College. 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. Boy hits man with a stick. Copyright © 1999 - 2021 GradeSaver LLC. I absolutely adore everything about it, and really do think there’s something everyone can relate to in this story. James K A Smith, Who’s Afraid of Postmodernism? When you shift from a … 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. RyanMottesheard, ‘Girl Power: New ZealandWriter/ Director Niki Caro Talks About “Whale Rider”’, IndieWire, June 6, 2003. 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. 197–216. The movie Whale Rider, directed by Niki Caro, have many things in common with the book Nervous Conditions, written in 2002 by Tsitsi Dangarembga. Conclusion. Whale rider whangara Literacy01. Written by Polly Barbour. The whale leads the pod of beached whales back into the water, and Pai submerges completely. There are physical things that are described in the book - the sweep of the bay, the island that looks At first the villagers on shore are worried that she has drowned, but eventually she re-emerges and they can see her on the back of the whale going out to see. However, in Maori culture, only men can be chief. 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