Whale Rider (2002) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Niki Caro Writing Credits Cast (in credits order) verified as complete Produced by Music by Lisa Gerrard Cinematography by Leon Narbey . Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. The story follows a 12-year-old Maori girl named Paikea Apirana who struggles to earn her grandfather's love and respect, but is neglected and belittled as he seeks to find a new chief to lead the Maori tribe. The Kiwis have given us a few uplifting films involving their aboriginal peoples and this one is particularly memorable. For the novel, see, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association, "Glasshammer visual effects production photos", "Haunting 'Whale Rider' revisits a timeless legend", The Whale Road: Transitioning from Spiritual Links, to Whaling, to Whale Watching in Aotearoa New Zealand, "New Zealand Film "Whale Rider" is Surprise Winner of the Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Audience Award", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Whale_Rider&oldid=1142250139, Mabel Wharekawa as Maka (as Mabel Wharekawa-Burt), Roi Taimana as Hemi's Dad (as Roimata Taimana), the World Cinema Audience award at the January 2003, Best Actress (Keisha Castle-Hughes, lost to, Most Promising Filmmaker (Niki Caro, lost to. The narrator of this time period is Rawiri, her uncle. See also Assignments, Projects, and Activities for Use With Any Film that is a Work of Fiction. Maori children were taught about their ancestors by memorizing the names of the person represented by each notch. Rawiri and his biker gang work with the police and rangers to keep whale butchers fro coming near the whales, while the navy is called in to attempt to pull the whales back out to sea. Director Niki Caro Writers Niki Caro Witi Ihimaera (book "The Whale Rider") Stars Keisha Castle-Hughes Rawiri Paratene Vicky Haughton See production, box office & company info Watch on Freevee The story describes the efforts of an indigenous group living within modern Western society to continue their traditions while assimilating some aspects of the dominant culture. The old whale remembers the days when man and animal were united and in communication, but those are long past. 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. He is accidentally killed by Jeff in a car accident. 12. This will presage several scenes in the movie. Another example of family dysfunction is Hemis father. The film Whale Rider harnesses the power of its character Paikea, her elders, and other film techniques to show a huge transition from traditional principles to modern ones, while still adhering to the cultural significance of the Whale Rider. Whale Rider. PG-13 (Momentary Drug Reference|Brief Language), Kids & family, While some humans take advantage of these whales to harvest their meat and organs, most of the locals of Whangara attempt to organize a rescue attempt and deliver the whales back to sea. The Maori were the first human beings to live in New Zealand and brought with them a highly evolved Stone Age culture. 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. Nanny does not think Koro is ready to accept this and does not tell him. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Billy is a close friend of Rawiri's and a member of the same biker gang. B. How do the women in the film deal with the sexism of their tribe? The plants and animals in New Zealand have evolved into forms that are slightly different from those on the other land masses. Many have been born, but for the village elder all have been disappointments. Pai, in an attempt to bridge the rift that has formed, invites Koro to be her guest of honour at a concert of Mori chants that her school is putting on. Film Study Worksheet for ELA Classes; and. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. Viewers also learn that Uncle Rawiri was once a champion with this traditional Maori way of fighting, although now he appears to be lazy, fat, and a user of drugs and alcohol. When he tells Pai that he cannot be what Koro wants, Pai says, Me neither. Two other reasons are worth mentioning. I know, I know, I still need to get the cast names in there and I'll be eternally tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to drop me a . After students have seen the film, engage the class in a discussion about the themes of the story. Many Maori carvings show fierce faces with stuck out tongues. 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. 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. When the prejudice is gone, they can fully enjoy Paikea. hierarchy exists. [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. All the whales of a herd come and to the beach and strand themselves there. 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. Pai wanted to show Koro how strong she was so he could love her. In revenge, Rua-Tapu decided to kill all of his half-brothers, including Paikea. All rights reserved. Jeff is a once-close friend of Rawiri's; they meet in Australia, where they share an apartment and become good friends. The Maori were fierce warriors and would, at times, dine on their conquered enemies. Maori tattoos are famous for their intricate designs, size, and beauty. Koro calls a meeting of the local Maori people and impresses upon them the spiritual significance of this event. Returning to Kahus tale, Rawiri narrates that he decided to see a bit of the world when Kahu was in her fourth year. A young man who lives in the present but maintains a deep connection to his past heritage, Rawiri is both an active member of a biker gang and a devoted student of Maori language and culture. The film contains music by Lisa Gerrard, released on the album Whalerider on 7 July 2003. The website's critical consensus states, "An empowering and uplifting movie, with a wonderful performance by Castle-Hughes". Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Enjoy this movie with your children. The bull whale leads his herd away from their most-feared predator: mankind. This shows that he thinks Pais leadership would be dangerous to the tribe, despite the fact that she can do what he cannot. Eventually this racism, combined with Rawiris desire to see home again impel him to leave Papua New Guinea and head back to Whangara, New Zealand. 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 Whale Rider transmisin en espaol. The book "The Whale Rider" by Witi Ihimaera is about a girl named Kahu and is in line to becoming chief in her tribe but greatly discouraged by her grandfather . Her grandfather Koro believes that this is a role reserved for males only. Hemi..what are their disappointments? This is called hongi, a gesture that is the social equivalent of a handshake or a kiss on both cheeks. [4] Casting director Diana Rowan visited numerous schools to find an actress to play Pai. In the novel . Movies. He remains dedicated in his mission to find a suitable successor, and he is doing all he can as leader of the Whangara Maori community to preserve the Maori culture for future generations in a time of spreading modernity. Links to the Internet The Maori now number about 650,000 people, 15% of the population of New Zealand. 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. Paikeas father, Porourangi, is the most important example of this. He teaches the boys to use a taiaha (fighting stick), which is traditionally reserved for males. This conflict can be seen in Native American cultures today and is often the source of individual as well as tribal difficulties. However, this canoe was designed to have a hole that Rua-Tapu kept sealed with the heel of his foot. 6. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. Now, so many years after their separation, the nostalgia for their time spent together cuts away at the old bull whale. The Ta moko was predominately for males and among traditional Maori it was rare that a woman would have tattoos. The movie won many awards at film festivals. The whale mistakes Kahu for its old masterKahus ancient ancestor, Kahutia Te Rangi. Coming Soon. 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. Before starting the introduction, on a globe or map of the world, show students the locations of New Zealand and Germany in relation to each other and to the community in which they live. Before Europeans arrived, the Maori language was not written. He tells her that what she did was dangerous. Touching and powerful, Whale Rider is extraordinarily well-crafted film. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. Plan and present a debate on the elimination of gender roles in society. Pai Ihimaera's The Whale Rider The summary of The Whale Rider is about a young girl, named Pai, who wants to be chief. 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. [2] It received $2.5 million from the New Zealand Film Production Fund. She leads a group of young girls in a traditional dance and also recites a speech she wrote in the Maori tongue. Some of the symbolic meanings in the scene are stated by Koro while others can be recognized by the viewer. Whale Rider is a film directed by Niki Caro (2002). Towards the end of the year, Kahu invites her family to a school ceremony that will include cultural presentations. One traditional function of Maori women was the karanga, an exchange of calls that forms part of the Maori welcoming ceremony. He needs to get far away to fully develop as an individual and as an artist. Possible Problems Whale Rider (also known as The 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.The film stars Keisha Castle-Hughes as Kahu Paikea Apirana, a twelve-year-old Maori girl who wants to become the chief of the tribe. The Question and Answer section for The Whale Rider is a great Part 3 begins, as usual, by focusing on the whale herd. Paikea: There was no gladness when I was born. All of the main characters are impacted by the dynamic between tradition and modernity. He travels to Sydney, Australia, where he meets several of his cousins and notes that they seem to have drifted away from Maori cultural traditions and have fully embraced the lifestyle of the big city. Astraightforward man who seems to have acquired his wealth through hard work and determination. She persists and fights for what she wants. The bull whale is leading his herd through the frozen waters of Antarctica. Bibliography. 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. See Questions Suitable for Any Film That is a Work of Fiction. Before the Maori found New Zealand and colonized it a little more than a thousand years ago, the only mammals that inhabited New Zealand were two species of bats. But now we were waiting for the firstborn of the new generation, for the descendant of the whale rider. He chooses to take them down the paths leading back to the seas of his youth, a decision that causes dismay among the elder mothers because they know his nostalgia for the past is clouding his present judgment. During Rawiris absence, Porourangi remarried and his wife had a child: another baby girl. Bibliography. Describe the symbols shown by this scene. As in many cultures, the value of ancestors and a reverence for the past shape Maori consciousness. Only males are allowed to ascend to chiefdom in a Maori tribe in New Zealand. 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. It is based on the novel by Witi Ihimaera. a term of reference for of this tribe who have Paikea as their founding ancestor. However, no matter how many leadership qualities Rawiri may possess, he can never be chief because he is a second-born son. During the course of his stay, Rawiri has to face racist behavior from Jeffs social circle, especially his mother. "[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." Which of the evils of prejudice are shown operating in this movie? In 2005, the film was named on the BFI List of the 50 Films You Should See By the Age of 14. Adapt the presentation to the needs of particular classes. Kahu Kahu is the chief protagonist of the story. Good performances by all the leads though the story worries around a barn door being open long, long after the horse has already gone. Whale Rider - Full Cast & Crew. Menu. Finally, the Whale Rider script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the Niki Caro movie with Keisha Castle-Hughes. 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. What does it symbolize? The Whale Rider is a 1987 novel by New Zealand author Witi Ihimaera. One day, Koro takes some of his star pupils out to sea. The movie, which takes place in the present day in New . Koros reaction to what Pai had done is yet another symbol. director of photography Film Editing by David Coulson Casting By Diana Rowan Production Design by Grant Major [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". Our ancestor, Paikea. Then the story shifts back to Kahu, whose mother dies within a year of Kahus birth. The Maori found them to be easy prey and quickly killed them off. 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. Why does Porourangi, Koros first born son and Pais father, leave home and live in faraway Germany? 4. Unfortunately the boy dies while the girl lives, and resentful is the elder who blames the girl for the sons death since he was the last recent hope for the village to gain a chief. Kahu does not mind all this anger from Koro though, and she continues to fervently seek his love and acceptance. At that time, the fauna of New Zealand was dominated by insects and birds. The bull whale is an ancient whale, about 65 feet long. However, when Paikea climbs atop the whale it responds to her and leads the other whales back to the sea. There are several possible reasons. Amelia Earhart. Whale Rider offers young people the opportunity to learn about a different culture and to examine the difficulties that many traditional groups experience in facing change. The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth: Season 8, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 1, Link to Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Link to The Most Anticipated TV & Streaming Shows of March 2023. 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. In modern times, the interior rooms of Maori meeting houses are places sacred to the ancestors. Maori tradition provides that only first born sons can be chief. As a result, Rawiri becomes overweight and escapes into alcohol or other drugs. Pai forgives him, of course, and says later that she is no prophet and that she knows the Maori people will keep going forward all together with all of our strength. Here she shows the value of humility. Overjoyed, the whale returns to sea and it descends back into the water with the rest of the herd and Kahu in tow. Paikea: And he came on the back of a whale. "The Whale Rider Characters". Students can examine their own concepts of gender roles as they watch entrenched sexism diminish through the course of the film. Our ancestor, Paikea. Kahu agrees to come with the herd in the hopes that she will thus save them and save her own people. But a lot of the credit has to go to newcomer Keisha Castle-Hughes, who gives an amazingly heartbreaking performance that's incredibly compelling. The Girl Who Could Every culture has principles that create a foundation for its belief system, and changing these principles is disdained. Anthropologist A. Asbjrn Jn discussed a range of Maori tribal traditions that resonate within the film, while noting links between the release of Whale Rider and increases in both New Zealand's whale watching tourism industry and conservation efforts. Whale Rider 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. He has opened his mind and abandoned his rigid adherence to the old rules. The 2002 film Whale Rider, directed by Niki Caro, is an adaptation of Witi Ihimaera's 1987 novel The Whale Rider, itself based on the Mori legend of Paikea, or Kahutia Te Rangi, who rode from the ancestral home of Hawaiki to New Zealand's East Coast on the back of a whale.. The father and grandfather argue after the slide show, and the father goes to pull down the white sheet that was hung over some drapes to act as a screen. Whangara, New Zealand. He is the grandson of Koro and thus the uncle of Kahu. New Zealand separated from the Antarctic portion of Gondwana about 82 million years ago, becoming geographically isolated. Invent a fictitious island inhabited by a tribe you create. Give it a location, a full geography, a population and a myth that explains how the tribe arrived on the island and what traditions it follows. 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. Rua-Tapu was the son of the Chief and a slave woman, while Paikea and the Chiefs other sons were born to women from aristocratic families. He is the father of Kahu, thus making Kahu the eldest child of the successor -- a fact which eventually forces Koro to question his opposition to female leadership in the group. He can spare only a few minutes to watch his son at the ceremony and is then off with his friends. The karanga occurs in the first 60 seconds of the segment. The brief introduction suggested below will orient students to the film and provide background about Maori culture. At age 12, she enlists the help of her grandmother (Vicky Haughton) and the training of her uncle (Grant Roa) to claim her birthright. Assignments and Projects Encourage students to discuss what was happening in. Rawiri accompanies him but eventually leaves due to the increasingly apparent racism ofRawiri's family (especially coming from his mother). "Whale Rider Full Movie HDWATCH NOW FREE https://free.flixtorz.com/movie/tt0298228WATCH NOW FREE https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=https://free.flixto. For the film, see, Storylines Children's Literature Foundation of New Zealand Notable Books List, "The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera Read by Jay Lagaaia | Audiobook Review", "Reading Resolution: "The Whale Rider" by Witi Ihimaera", "The Most Translated Books From Every Country in the World", "Te Kaieke Tohor by Witi Ihimaera, n Tmoti Kretu i whakamori", "Remarkable Kiwis win the non-fiction Children's Choice award | Scoop News", "Film-making in the service of identity politics", "The God of Small Things to Shuggie Bain: the Queen's jubilee book list", "The Big Jubilee Read: Books from 1982 to 1991", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Whale_Rider&oldid=1088553471, This page was last edited on 18 May 2022, at 18:34. Her Grandfather and other sexist men would not have allowed themselves to see Pais full personhood and ability. Describe the attributes of this character, how they relate to the themes of the film, and how Uncle Rawiri is a foil for his niece. This symbol can also be seen as representing his inability to see the strengths of Pais character and to foresee the best path for the tribe to take in the future. Living in the village or even in New Zealand would have reminded him of this loss. [8] The 60ft (18m)-long waka seen at the end of the film was made in two-halves in Auckland before being transported to Whangara. The bull whale eventually agrees and they return Kahu, now unconscious, to Whangara. 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. 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. Then the story ends with Kahu telling her dear great-grandfather that she can still hear the singing of the whales. The eldest grandson of Koro and the elder brother of Rawiri, Porourangi is the chosen successor for his generation. Bless Me Ultima is a mystical realism novel in which 6 year old protagonist, Antonio Marez, begins the journey of discovering himself on the path of adolescence. 3. See also Discussion questions numbered 3, 8 and 10. Prejudiced societies also lack a fundamental sense of justice and fairness. Suduiko, Aaron ed. But now we were waiting for the firstborn of the new generation, for the descendant of the whale rider. The story is all about how the Maori people will hold on to their tradition while navigating the strange tides of modern times. The film received critical acclaim and Castle-Hughes's performance won rave reviews. Kahu finds Current time: coastal Maori village in New Zealand. If Porourangi had tried to stay in New Zealand, he would have had to constantly face Koros disapproval. See production, box office & company info. Nanny is the wife of Koro and the motherly figure for most of the other main characters. See Example #1 and Example #2. The symbolic meaning stated by Koro is that each strand of the rope represents an ancestor with the rope being the tribe. [17], Whale Rider grossed US$41 million worldwide.[3]. A man to lead a new people. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay and/or viewings of Whale Rider. Pai makes an important point that clearly establishes theme in the speech she delivers in honor of her grandfather: I broke the line back to the ancient ones. 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. Part I begins by refocusing on the herd of whales. But then the story shifts to Kahu. Please click the link below to receive your verification email. Coming Soon. 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. He ran his plantation until being struck by a debilitating injury, and now relies on his son to take care of their land. Then a pod of whales, an animal revered by the Maori, beaches itself on the sand near the tribes home. 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.
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