However, as they are driving away, she finds that she cannot bear to leave the sea as the whale seems to be calling her back. My twin brother died, and took our mother with him. " Women, like men, should try to do the impossible, and when they fail, their failure should be a challenge to others."-. Whangara, New Zealand. By creating an account, you agree to the Her deepest wish is to please her great-grandfather, Koro--a struggle which spans the length of the book--and she remains dedicated to her Maori heritage and culture. His father was a Chief in Hawaiiki with many wives and numerous children. During Rawiris absence, Porourangi remarried and his wife had a child: another baby girl. Later when Kahu also awakens, he tells her for the first time that he loves her. Thus, sending Porourangi to Germany advances the plot. A young girl might fulfill a prophecy in an indigenous New Zealand community. Pai confidently declares she'll find it and dives into the water. The importance of myth and stories which shape the lives of traditional people will become clear to viewers and will offer the perspective necessary to look at their own myths and stories. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Then a pod of whales, an animal revered by the Maori, beaches itself on the sand near the tribes home. Waiting for someone to love it. All of the main characters are impacted by the dynamic between tradition and modernity. Then man arrived from the east, and the relationship between nature and man throve. Ultimately, all the dedicated efforts of Rawiri, his friends, Nanny, and all the other locals fail and all of the whales perish on the beach. Each time she comes she expresses love for her family there, but special deep love for Koro her great-grandfather. Kahu agrees to come with the herd in the hopes that she will thus save them and save her own people. Pai learns the lessons on her own and knows that she is capable of being the Chief. Then the story ends with Kahu telling her dear great-grandfather that she can still hear the singing of the whales. [2] [3] In 2002 it was adapted into a film, Whale Rider, directed by Niki Caro. See Example #1 and Example #2. Cinemark Bibliography. Paikeas uncle, Rawiri, is a nurturing man and a leader in the community just by the force of his personality. Despite their best efforts, they are not able to do so and Koro returns dejected. But he knew the ancient ones were there for him so he called out to them to lift him up and give him strength. Gondwana, also called Gondwanaland, was an ancient supercontinent that incorporated present-day New Zealand, Australia, Antarctica, South America, Africa, Arabia, Madagascar, and India. Although Pai works hard to earn Koros respect, she is rebuffed each time she tries to master an activity traditionally reserved for males. This whale rider casts spears as life-giving objects to the islands, but one spear he casts 1000 years into the future, which is the time of the storys young heroine Kahu. 8. investigate the sexism found in modern societies and recent changes in gender roles. Possible Problems Pai argues on behalf of egalitarian leadership, asserting that anyone with knowledge can be of value to the tribe and that strength can be found in having several types of leaders rather than one. The movie was based on the novel, The Whale Rider by Witi Tame Ihimaera. Set in the 1980s in Whangara, a Mori community on the eastern edge of New Zealand's North Island, the novel is a retelling of the myth of Paikea. 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. Discussion questions and suggested responses are provided below. The women carry on with their lives accepting the men, yet criticizing the mens thinking. 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 Koro Chief Pai's grandfather; loves Pai but clashes with her He raises Pai after her mother dies during childbirth and her father (Porourangi) leaves to go overseas Nanny Flowers I'm not a prophet, but I know that our people will keep going forward, all together, with all of our strength. 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. comes - then goes off so soon with his mates. The Whale Rider The revered figure of Whangara's Maori people and Kahu's direct ancestor, the whale rider develops an extremely close bond with a whale. This can be seen when the women play cards and joke about the men. Show in your presentation the great variety found in the various myths and make clear what each myth attempts to explain. Her grandfather Koro believes that this is a role reserved for males only. The visitors respond and the calls go back and forth as the newcomers enter the location where the meeting is to occur. This is an echo of the earlier symbol of the rope. For the boy who would be chief. He invited them, 70 in some versions and 140 in others, for a trip in a beautiful ocean-going canoe that he had built. [6] Producer John Barnett said "This novel was set in Whangara and it would almost have been heresy to shoot anywhere else. [5] The film was shot in Whangara, Te Tai Rwhiti, and in Auckland. Her speech expresses her utmost desire to please her great-grandfather and to uphold the Maori culture. The ____ family in the movie, despite their beliefs or rituals, can be just like an American family, or any other one. Activities. ----- 6. 10,000 children were auditioned before narrowing it down to 12. Pomeranz said "Niki Caro has directed this uplifting story with great sensitivity, eliciting affecting performances from a sterling cast, and a wonderful one from newcomer Keisha Castle-Hughes. For example, according to tradition, Paikeas father should stay in the village and assume the role of Chief. But now we were waiting for the firstborn of the new generation, for the descendant of the whale rider. Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association: New Zealand filmmaker Jonathan Brough made the documentary film Riding the Wave: The Whale Rider Story, as well as short documentary clips about Whale Rider, to accompany the DVD.[20]. Finally, the tribe would not have had a leader that it needed, had the prejudice against having a female chief been maintained. Selected Awards & Cast One day Pai, her uncle, her uncle's girlfriend Shilo, and others take the boat to where Koro flung the rei puta into the sea. Paikea: And he came on the back of a whale. Dont worry, it wont take long. Paikea: In the old days, the land felt a great emptiness. Despite their joint efforts, the rope breaks and they walk away exhausted. Like many indigenous people, Porourangi is torn between two civilizations. However, Pais father, the next in line, has declined to accept the role. The women let the men think that the men are the bosses. This link will take you to a video of the scene from the movie in which a karanga is called and answered as students are welcomed to the opening of their new school. 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. In the time of the story he is in his early twenties. By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and director of photography Film Editing by David Coulson Casting By Diana Rowan Production Design by Grant Major The Maori now number about 650,000 people, 15% of the population of New Zealand. Adapt the presentation to the needs of particular classes. He tells her that what she did was dangerous. The brief introduction suggested below will orient students to the film and provide background about Maori culture. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Terms and Policies [11][12], This article is about the novel. At age 12, she enlists the help of her grandmother (Vicky Haughton) and the training of her uncle (Grant Roa) to claim her birthright. Maori Meeting Houses In and Over Time by Toon Van Meijl, Chapter 8; in Inside Austronesian Houses Perspective on Domestic Designs for Living; ANU E Press, 2006. The world premiere was on 9 September 2002, at the Toronto International Film Festival. Read the Study Guide for The Whale Rider, Tradition as a Tool for Oppressing Women in Witi Ihimaeras The Whale Rider, The Influence of Beliefs on Individual Life in Witi Ihimaeras The Whale Rider., View Wikipedia Entries for The Whale Rider. The tribe founded by Paikea has always been led by the previous chief's firstborn son, in a line of descent stretching . Based on 155 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an overall approval rating from critics of 91%, with an average score of 7.77 as of October 2020. Later on, Kahu goes out to sea with Nanny and Rawiri, and when they reach the spot above the stone, Kahu dives into the sea and retrieves the stone. What does it symbolize? Best Actress nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes stars in this moving coming-of-age story, set in a modern-day Maori village. In the novel . She held the record until 2012 when Quvenzhan Wallis (at the age of 9) was nominated for that category for the film Beasts of the Southern Wild. Porourangi, the girls father, is his eldest grandson so he is the successor for that generation. Living in the village or even in New Zealand would have reminded him of this loss. Paikeas father, Porourangi, is the most important example of this. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. The movie, which takes place in the present day in New . His anguish is now doubled as he must accept that he has been so harsh to the very person he needed so badly this whole time. The Girl Who Could Every culture has principles that create a foundation for its belief system, and changing these principles is disdained. Possible Problems Then man arrived from the east, and the relationship between nature and man throve. 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 Titre original: Whale Rider Popularit: 14.114 Dure: 97 Minutes Slogan: Dans les voies des anciens, elle a trouv un espoir pour l'avenir. 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. Nanny orders Rawiri not to tell Koro of this strange incident, as he is not yet ready to accept Kahus special status. Selected Awards & Cast, Using the Movie in the Classroom In desperation, Kahu swims out to the whale and climbs up its back after communicating with it. Pai feels that she can become the leader (although no woman has ever done so) and is determined to succeed. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. This shows that he thinks Pais leadership would be dangerous to the tribe, despite the fact that she can do what he cannot. This is called hongi, a gesture that is the social equivalent of a handshake or a kiss on both cheeks. Voila! Because sometimes, even if youre the leader and you need to be strong, you can get tired like our ancestor Paikea when he was lost at sea and he couldnt find the land and he probably wanted to die. Although Pais grandfather, Koro, loves his granddaughter, he is determined to find a male to serve as his successor. Links to the Internet Whale Rider. At this point, fearing Pai is lost, Nanny reveals to Koro that his granddaughter found the rei puta, and Koro is stunned into realizing the error of his ways. Encouraged by the Labour Party and union bureaucracy, they turned Maori workers instead towards the struggle for indigenous rightsin particular land rightsand the rediscovery of tribal identity. The epilogue narrates that the oldest mother whale notices Kahu and realizes that her husband, the bull whale, has mistaken this little girl for her ancestor. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email.