The Whale Rider. [8] The 60 ft (18 m)-long waka seen at the end of the film was made in two halves in Auckland before being transported to Whangara. She is an actress and producer, known for Whale Rider (2002), The Nativity Story (2006) and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). Ruatapu is already angry because Kahutia-te-rangi is of a higher status than him (Kahutia-te-rangi’s mother was of noble birth, while Ruatapu’s mother was a slave). The film received critical acclaim upon its release. I love exploring new cultures like this. In the film Whale Rider depicts a culture in transition. Please, if you’re reading, shoot me a request! The story begins with Kahutia-te-rangi’s half-brother, Ruatapu. This hero is an unlikely one, a small girl, from a small tribe, in a small village in New Zealand. Hossain (2011) which Whale Rider depicted brilliantly., Although we see the mindset of Paikea from an early age, and witness her strength, we also witness her grandfather’s (Korin) view of what her path in life should be and this view is also the traditional view the world has of what a woman’s life should entale. With Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton, Cliff Curtis. The film portrays a Maori tribe that tells the story of a long-held tradition. Our ancestor, Paikea. Whale Rider is a 2002 New Zealand-German family drama film written and directed by Niki Caro. The movie is about Pai, a 12 year old who is the only living child in the line of the tribe’s chiefly succession because of the death of her twin brother and mother during childbirth. 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. There is a vast difference between movies for 12-year-old girls, and movies about 12-year-old girls, and 'Whale Rider' proves it. Next cruise status. Her twin brother died in childbirth and she is set aside as an outcast. In this extract from the movie Whale rider young Paikea rides the lead whale of a stranded pod out into the sea, so that the rest will follow. The film received critical acclaim and Castle-Hughes's performance won rave reviews. Her grandfather Koro Apirana believes that this is a role reserved for males only. For the most part, Maori mythology was inherited from a Polynesian homeland, then developed further in the new setting–similar to how Europeans brought their folk tales with them to America, before ultimately expanding upon the lore until it turned into something new, but not entirely original. I is a story abou leadership and family tradition. That was an interesting story, but how did Ruatapu avoid drowning with his half-brothers? What his half-brothers did not know, was that Ruatapu had knocked a hole into the bottom of the canoe, and was only temporarily plugging it with his heel. Livid at his father’s words, Ruatapu spun a plan for his revenge. The film's plot follows the story of Paikea Apirana ("Pai"). Unknown to all, she had won an interschool speech contest with a touching dedication to Koro and the traditions of the village. Whale Rider premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2002. You can follow any comments to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. The website's critical consensus states, "An empowering and uplifting movie, with a wonderful performance by Castle-Hughes". (Above) This name is used in the Whale Rider version of the Paikea song. That said, it’s important to understand some basic concepts of Polynesian culture before we go into specific Maori stories. It’s the legend of Kahutia-te-rangi, also known as Paikea: Whale rider. Paikea states in the opening of the movie, “In the old days, the land felt a great emptiness that was waiting, waiting to be filled up, waiting for someone to love it, waiting for a leader. Nanny does not think Koro is ready to accept this and does not tell him. Paikea made it to shore and the whale became an island.[1. 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. Whale Rider is an example of counter-cinema because it completely goes against the Hollywood movie stereotype of women. [...] If we'd gone somewhere else and tried to manufacture the surroundings and the ambience, then I think it would have been noticeable in the picture. She seems a tom boy sort, with short hair and a non-traditional “little girl” role. Her grandfather was the chief of their tribe in, New Zealand, and trying to find a new chief to take his place. We have also added the old forums that are from before the Papa Panui. Koro sees that as a sign of his failure and despairs further. One by one he fell upon each young man and drowned them. The girl, Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes) survives. She shows her emotions on her sleeve by seeking the future she desperately wants and her love of her community. Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association: The film contains music by Lisa Gerrard, released on the album Whalerider on 7 July 2003. "[15], The film has also been discussed, and praised, widely within academia. Tuesday February 09; Sailing 10:00:00 AM; Sailing 12:45:00 PM; Need more information? He said of Castle-Hughes: "This is a movie star. Pai is female and so technically cannot inherit the leadership. Pai tells her father to return her home. Keisha Castle-Hughes was born on March 24, 1990 in Donnybrook, Western Australia, Australia. Once the canoe was far from prying eyes, Ruatapu removed his heel, and the canoe sank. She was previously married to Jonathan Morrison. It’s the legend of Kahutia-te-rangi, also known as Paikea: Whale rider. Learn about the Māori legend: The Whale Rider. Menu. The symbol is that even with everyone in the tribe pulling together, the purpose cannot be accomplished without the proper leader. The leader is usually a male, and because pai is a female, her grandfather, koro … At the religious grounds, they will go through four trials to prove which of … But now we were waiting for firstborn of the new generation. The film earned $41.4 million[3] on a NZ$9,235,000 budget. He teaches the boys to use a taiaha (fighting stick), which is traditionally reserved for males. Pai confidently declares she'll find it and dives into the water. In an attempt to help, Pai also calls out to them and they hear her call. The entire village attempts to coax and drag them back into the water, but all efforts prove unsuccessful, and even a tractor does not help. Every man, except Kahutia-te-rangi. Viramontez 4 In conclusion, Whale Rider demonstrates the power of creation myths described by Joseph Campbell. The storyteller’s name is Paikea (played by Keisha Castle-Hughes), or Pai in this film, narrates how “in the old days there … Whale Rider essay Read More » Similar to Native Americans, Polynesians believed they were inherently part of nature. The story of Whale Rider is about Pai, a girl descended from Paikea, the mythical ancestor of Ngati Konohi hapu (sub tribe) who live in Whangara on the East Coast of New Zealand.Paikea is said to have arrived from their place of origin, Hawaikii, on the back of a whale. Paikea made it to shore and the whale became an island.[1. KAIKOURA WEATHER. The story begins with Kahutia-te-rangi’s half-brother, Ruatapu. Some tribes liken this evolution to the growth of a tree, it’s branches and roots all stemming from a great trunk. The film is about a girl, Paikea Apirana, played by Keisha Castle-Hughes in her debut role, who battles to gain her grandfather’s respect, and to become the chief of the tribe. A contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young Maori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize. He is particularly known to tribes with origins in the Gisborne District such as Ngāti Porou, and Ngāi Tahu. About how Paikea came to New Zealand from the Pacific Islands on the back of a whale many centuries ago. He first looks at his first born son, Porourangi, but he never really was into the culture so Koro expected him to have a son to become the new chief. This version was recorded at the 1964 Gisborne annual Māori competitions and has been slightly sanitised for the occasion. Whitireia is a meeting house built at Whangara in 1939. Pai, is the main character and heroine of the film. Whale Rider incorporates the use of the mystical function, cosmological function, sociological function, and psychological function to demonstrate how Pai is able to save her dying Maori culture. Most Promising Performer (Keisha Castle-Hughes, Best Screenplay – Adapted (Niki Caro, lost to, Best Supporting Actress (Keisha Castle-Hughes, lost to, Bar One (International Observer) Loaded Sounds -, This page was last edited on 14 January 2021, at 02:43. Whale Rider is a 2002 New Zealand-German family drama film directed by Niki Caro, based on the novel of the same name by Witi Ihimaera. Cleanr theme by WPShoppe. Whale Rider Analysis 1205 Words | 5 Pages. The whale—lost in joy—dove down to the depths and the man cried out in fear. Paikea is named after her ancestor, also known as the whale rider because he travelled on the back of a whale to Whāngārā on the East Coast of New Zealand. I'm not a prophet, but I know that our people will keep going forward, all together, with all of our strength. The whales did so, making Kahutia-te-rangi the sole survivor of Ruatapu’s evildoings. Whale Rider is an example of counter-cinema for many of the reasons I listed in the previous questions which primarily boil down to Pai’s sense of self, her priorities, her confidence, her ability to ignore gender confinement and her societal views which all appear to be in the realm of feminism, ie: equality. In 2005, the film was named on the BFI List of the 50 Films You Should See By the Age of 14. And he came on the back of the whale, a man to lead a new people. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site. Pai is interested in the lessons, but is discouraged and scolded by Koro for doing so. At age 13, Keisha Castle-Hughes became the youngest nominee for the Academy Award for Best Actress before she was surpassed by Quvenzhané Wallis, at age 9, for Beasts of the Southern Wild less than a decade later. Shout Factory released a 15th anniversary Blu-ray of Whale Rider on their Shout Select imprint on 22 August 2017. She also secretly follows Koro's lessons. 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. The whale leads the entire pod back into the sea; Pai submerges completely underwater before being thrown off the whale's back by the tide, and the spectators fear she has drowned. The song of a whale calls through deep water as the huge mammal swims far below the surface of The tale has it’s roots in the South Island and East coast of New Zealand’s North Island. Whale Rider Review Niki Caro’s film, Whale Rider, beautifully captures the small village of Whangara, which is located in the northeast of New Zealand’s North Island. Brave New World. whangara where the story is set is a real place and the legend of the whale rider paikea is a legend of my tribe ngati porou from the east coast. However, Koro was late, and as he was walking to the school, he notices that numerous southern right whales are beached near Pai's home. Also, the largest whale traditionally belongs to the legendary Paikea. This is all very general knowledge of the religion, but as I promised, I do have a story for you, and it’s specific to Maori mythology. Kahutia-te-rangi had recited an incantation as the boat sank, invoking the Southern humpback whales (called “paikea” in Maori) to help carry him to shore. A Commentary on Civic Life, written by a 5'2" feminist, French Social Movements in the Form of Women’s Bodies, The Ironic Effect of European Bombings on Muslim Refugees, 1955-2016: Comparing the Evolution of the Civil Rights and Women’s Liberation Movements, רוסיה העתיקה נוסח העתיד הרחוק | המולטי יקום של אלי אשד. © 2021. 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. Her grandmother, Nanny, tells Pai that her second son, Pai's uncle, had won a taiaha tournament in his youth while he was still slim and so Pai secretly learns from him. I think it had something to do with Ruatapu being a stronger swimmer than the rest, because there’s also some lore about Ruatapu being able to control ocean waves and causing a great flood. Pai, in an attempt to bridge the rift that has formed, invites Koro to be her guest of honour at a concert of Māori chants that her school is putting on. She is willing to sacrifice her own life to protect and continue her community and family's traditions and beliefs. The Maori, the native Polynesian people of New Zealand, are looking for a male descendant of Paikea the brave leader who escaped death on the back of a whale to lead them and restore the traditions. When Koro walks away, Pai climbs onto the back of the largest whale at the location and coaxes it to re-enter the ocean. Her grandfather Koro Apirana believes that this is a role reserved for males only. Whale Rider In the movie "Whale Rider", a girl named Paikea was born. Paikea escaped being killed by his brother on the back of a whale. Castle-Hughes impressed Caro in the resulting workshop and was cast as Pai. "[11] Roger Ebert gave the film four out of four stars and said, "The genius of the movie is the way it sidesteps all of the obvious cliches of the underlying story and makes itself fresh, observant, tough and genuinely moving." ", The film had budget of NZ$9,235,000. When Pai is found and brought to the hospital, Koro declares her the leader and asks for her forgiveness. He survived a marine disaster in the ancient Hawaiki homeland of the Māori in the Pacific Ocean, by invoking, through incantation, the denizens of the deep sea to come to his rescue and take him ashore. Directed by Niki Caro. [9] By comparison, Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 top reviews from mainstream critics, calculated an average score of 79, based on 31 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". The waka was given to the Whangara community after filming concluded.[5]. Work is under way to dismantle and move a fragile 113-year-old whale skeleton ahead of a £12 million project to redevelop Hull’s historic maritime sites. Whale Rider is a 2002 New Zealand-German family drama film written and directed by Niki Caro.Based on the 1987 novel of the same name by Witi Ihimaera, the film stars Keisha Castle-Hughes as Kahu Paikea Apirana, a twelve-year-old Māori girl whose ambition is to become the chief of the tribe. At first they would just swim but one day the man—as enterprising as any human—leapt on the whale’s back. Along with following on Pai’s story, the movie showed a great number of local Maori religion and culture. 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. This song, known as the Ngāti Porou anthem, tells the story of Paikea’s journey on the back of a whale, and of his love for the beautiful Huturangi. He built a canoe, and when it was finished, he lured Kahutia-te-rangi and several other high-ranking sons of Uenuku into it with him. His plans didn't come out as he planned. Before felling a tree, Native Polynesians would be sure placate Tane Mutah, God of the Forest. The village leader should be the first-born son, a direct patrilineal descendant of Paikea, the Whale Rider, he who rode on top of a whale (Tohora) from Hawaiki. Paikea is a small girl that is 13 years old, and is a direct descendant of Paikea, the original whale rider.