A small coastal community of Maoris deal daily with being New Zealanders while not being entirely so, particularly hard for a young pubescent lass ostracized because of her sex, despite that she offers hope of continuing traditions. She demonstrates racist tendencies when Rawiri comes to help them maintain their plantation. Mana Taumana as Hemi; FILM SYNOPSIS In a small New Zealand coastal village, Maori claim descent from Paikea, the Whale Rider. "[10], In 2022, The Whale Rider was included on the Big Jubilee Read, a list of 70 books by Commonwealth authors produced to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee. Suduiko, Aaron ed. When she is born, her great-grandfather expresses great disdain that she is a girl. In 2005, the film was named on the BFI List of the 50 Films You Should See By the Age of 14. Her koro Apirana believes that this is a role reserved for males only. The website's critical consensus states, "An empowering and uplifting movie, with a wonderful performance by Castle-Hughes". Some Important Scenes & Quotations from Whale Rider 1. This shows that he thinks Pais leadership would be dangerous to the tribe, despite the fact that she can do what he cannot. A contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young Maori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize. A present day New Zealand community of Maori tribe people is waiting for the sign of a new chief to be born and lead the village and it's community to greatness. But he knew the ancient ones were there for him so he called out to them to lift him up and give him strength. Currently you are able to watch "Whale Rider" streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Hoopla or for free with ads on Peacock, Peacock Premium, The Roku Channel, Tubi TV, Freevee. Maori tattoos are famous for their intricate designs, size, and beauty. Thus out of disdain for the girl, Koro refuses to show any love towards her and even refuses to conduct the traditional burial of the birth cord. For society as a whole, prejudice limits the contribution that the victims can make. Although Pais grandfather, Koro, loves his granddaughter, he is determined to find a male to serve as his successor. Cinemark Discussion questions and suggested responses are provided below. However, he is unable to let go, and thoughts of returning to the place of his youth at whatever cost gnaw at his heart. SUBJECTS New Zealand; ELA, including characterization, symbol, and foil; SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING Breaking Out; Female Role Model; AGE: 12+; MPAA Rating: PG-13 for brief language and a momentary drug reference; Benefits of the Movie Based on the 1987 novel The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera, the film stars Keisha Castle-Hughes as Kahu Paikea Apirana, a twelve-year-old Mori girl whose ambition is to become the chief of the tribe. Whale Rider was released on DVD and VHS on 28 October 2004 by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment. She persists and fights for what she wants. ", The film had budget of NZ$9,235,000. Whale Rider is a 2002 New Zealand drama film written and directed by Niki Caro. The women carry on with their lives accepting the men, yet criticizing the mens thinking. Pai tells her father to return her home. [11][12], This article is about the novel. Hemi makes a joke out of it by purposely farting. hierarchy exists. Whale Rider. Why does Porourangi, Koros first born son and Pais father, leave home and live in faraway Germany? For the perpetrator, prejudice makes it impossible to have meaningful relationships with an entire class of people and deprives him or her of the satisfaction of participating in a society that is fair and just. Voila! Paikeas uncle, skilled in the art of fighting with war sticks, is not considered fit for the role of Chief because he is the second son. He is also skilled in the art of fighting with war sticks, which in the movie is a symbol for being able to be a Maori chief. They are forced to travel to other havens as this long-time home for them has become too inhospitable to live in. Factory released a 15th anniversary Blu-ray of Whale Rider on their Shout! More books than SparkNotes. The film earned $41.4 million[3] on a NZ$9,235,000 budget. The film contains music by Lisa Gerrard, released on the album Whalerider on 7 July 2003. 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. Koro is devastated when none of the boys succeeds at the traditional task of recovering the rei puta (whale tooth) that he threw into the ocean, the mission that would prove one of them worthy of becoming leader. Whale Rider (2002) Mana Taumaunu as Hemi. Kahu is the eldest great-grandchild of chieftain Koro Apirana; had she been a boy, she would have been the natural future leader of the tribe. Moral-Ethical Emphasis Possible Problems Students can then be asked to take a deeper look and research questions that have been discussed in class. Drama, Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR, All Upcoming Disney Movies: New Disney Live-Action, Animation, Pixar, Marvel, 20th Century, And Searchlight, Filmmaker Selects: Gina Prince-Bythewoods 10 Movies For Womens History Month, 87 Fearless Women Movie Heroes Who Inspire Us. He tells her that what she did was dangerous. The whale mistakes Kahu for its old masterKahus ancient ancestor, Kahutia Te Rangi. The story is all about how the Maori people will hold on to their tradition while navigating the strange tides of modern times. Another example of family dysfunction is Hemis father. Just below that it reads "Ticket Confirmation#:" followed by a 10-digit number. As a result, Rawiri becomes overweight and escapes into alcohol or other drugs. Rawiri's cousin living in Papua New Guinea. The movie was based on the novel, The Whale Rider by Witi Tame Ihimaera. Her grandfather Koro believes that this is a role reserved for males only. The tribe founded by Paikea has always been led by the previous chief's firstborn son, in a line of descent stretching . Called Ta moko,, they consist of important symbols that help individuals express their unique identities. The Whale Rider is a 1987 novel by New Zealand author Witi Ihimaera. He notes that when all of the threads are woven together they make a strong rope. When he tells Pai that he cannot be what Koro wants, Pai says, Me neither. Two other reasons are worth mentioning. For the boy who would be chief. The results of their research can be presented to the class in oral reports or serve as the basis for a writing assignment. The problem in Koros mind, however, is that Porourangis eldest child is now Kahu, whobecause she is femaleis not fit to lead according to Koro. Back home, Rawiri notes that Koro has become even more obsessed in his mission of finding a male successor. Additional questions are set out below. [5] The film was shot in Whangara, Te Tai Rwhiti, and in Auckland. The characters struggle with several issues faced by indigenous people all over the globe as they seek to integrate what remains of their traditional ways into modern society. Koro decides to begin a language school to teach the future generations the threatened Maori language, and he also beings culture classes for similar purposes. [8][9], On the World Socialist Web Site, John Braddock criticised The Whale Rider for its reactionary focus on identity politics, noting that "Whale Rider presents Maori as one people. Prejudice limits the ability of the victims to the live the lives they want and to live and to enjoy their inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In addition, in societies in which prejudice dominates, the victims can internalize the prejudice against them and come to believe that they and their group are, in fact, inferior. Setting. The Ta moko was predominately for males and among traditional Maori it was rare that a woman would have tattoos. The revered figure of Whangara's Maori people and Kahu's direct ancestor, the whale rider develops an extremely close bond with a whale. She respects and loves both her grandfather and Maori tribal traditions. Pa : l'lue d'un peuple nouveau regarder . All the whales of a herd come and to the beach and strand themselves there. The next evening an even bigger event occurs, this time witnessed not by everyone but just by the small Maori community within the town. Many Maori carvings show fierce faces with stuck out tongues. Prejudiced societies also lack a fundamental sense of justice and fairness. Social-Emotional Learning At that time, the fauna of New Zealand was dominated by insects and birds. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! Pai is female and so technically cannot inherit the leadership. Teachers can modify the worksheets to fit the needs of each class. these scenes. A rope is seen in the episode in which the villagers try to help the beached whales return to the sea. For activities specific to this film, divide the class into small groups and ask students to research one of the following topics for an oral presentation using the technology available in the classroom. In voiceover, Pai declares, "My name is Paikea Apirana, and I come from a long line of chiefs stretching all the way back to the Whale Rider. Pai Ihimaera's The Whale Rider The summary of The Whale Rider is about a young girl, named Pai, who wants to be chief. After the death of his wife and despite overwhelming pressure from Koro, Pai's father refuses to assume traditional leadership or finish the waka that he had started building for the baby son; instead, he moves to Germany to pursue a career as an artist. More books than SparkNotes. Touching and powerful, Whale Rider is extraordinarily well-crafted film. Whale Rider also provides an occasion for research, oral presentations, and essay writing required skills in most ELA curricula. In the time of the story he is in his early twenties. She does so by doing what Nanny and Rawiri find extremely amazing: Kahu appears to communicate with dolphins and other sea creatures, and through their aid she is able to retrieve the stone. The time is now. [2] It received $2.5 million from the New Zealand Film Production Fund. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your email. Kahu Kahu is the chief protagonist of the story. If Pai had a brother, he would become chief, but her only brother, her twin, died at birth, along with their mother. It also won the 2003 BAFTA Childrens Award. Her koro Apirana believes that this is a role reserved for males only. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera. The Question and Answer section for The Whale Rider is a great Cinemark Keisha Castle-Hughes as Paikea; Rawiri Paratene as Koro; Vicky Haughton as Nanny Flowers; Cliff Curtis as Porourangi; Grant Roa as Uncle Rawiri; and Mana Taumaunu as Hemi. The tribe and the Maori families are breaking apart because the men are leaving. What does this suggest about the tribes problems? PG-13 (Momentary Drug Reference|Brief Language), Kids & family, Discussion Questions Pai is interested in the lessons, but is discouraged and scolded by Koro for doing so. The old man feels himself to be under increasing pressure to teach and preserve the cultural knowledge that he and so few others currently possess. The Whale Rider is a 1987 novel by New Zealand author Witi Ihimaera. The patriarchal structure of the family provides grounding to the story, and the interactions between the characters are interesting, but the grand metaphysical puzzle that dominates this film isn't clear to one who is unfamiliar with the film's cultural backdrop. Her leadership qualities, knowledge of Maori culture, and skill with the Taiaha cannot gain for her what they would had she been a firstborn son. The is shown by the last scene in which Pais grandfather, now fully accepting the idea that she will be Chief, smiles lovingly at his granddaughter. Benefits of the Movie This only upsets Koro more, as he was hoping for a male descendent. Maori consciousness is shaped by reverence for ancestors and the past. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Pai ties the rope together and then easily starts the engine. Returning to Kahus tale, Rawiri narrates that he decided to see a bit of the world when Kahu was in her fourth year. However, no matter how many leadership qualities Rawiri may possess, he can never be chief because he is a second-born son. These scenes include those that show Maori families as dysfunctional or Maori people abusing alcohol. Koros reaction to what Pai had done is yet another symbol. Instead, Nanny Flowers, Koros wife and Kahus great-grandmother, must enlist the aid of Rawiri and some friends to help her bury it herself in the town center. [7] In 2006 a picture book version illustrated by Bruce Potter was listed as one of the Storylines Children's Literature Foundation of New Zealand Notable Books List. Then man arrived from the east, and the relationship between nature and man throve. By the time the Europeans arrived in the late 1700s, the Maori were well-established. This will presage a scene in the film. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". It was shot on location in Whangara, the setting of the novel. TWM offers the following movie worksheets to keep students minds on the film and to focus their attention on the lessons to be learned from the movie. [2][3] In 2002 it was adapted into a film, Whale Rider, directed by Niki Caro.[4]. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera. Koro is enraged when he finds out, particularly when she wins a taiaha fight against Hemi.