Coming Soon. The movie, which takes place in the present day in New . See Hongi Example #1 for an image of the traditional Maori greeting. 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. [4] Plot [ edit] Carving of Paikea at Whangara 's marae The Girl Who Could Every culture has principles that create a foundation for its belief system, and changing these principles is disdained. Now, so many years after their separation, the nostalgia for their time spent together cuts away at the old bull whale. Whale Rider - All The Tropes This highlights Paikeas decision to struggle against the fate that would have been hers had she not become Chief. Please reference Error Code 2121 when contacting customer service. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. Click here for a still picture of two women calling a karanga. 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. This is an echo of the earlier symbol of the rope. It is based on the novel by Witi Ihimaera. Like many indigenous people, Porourangi is torn between two civilizations. subsistance is based on. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter Koro calls a meeting of the local Maori people and impresses upon them the spiritual significance of this event. 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. The comment that Germany is just about as far from New Zealand as a person can get. 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. TALKING AND PLAYING WITH MOVIES: AGES 3-8, FILM ADAPTATIONS OF NOVELS, SHORT STORIES, OR PLAYS, FICTION (SOAPS, DRAMAS, AND REALITY/SURVIVAL SHOW), Worksheet for Cinematic and Theatrical Elements and Their Effects, Te Ika a Maui: or, New Zealand and its inhabitants, by RR Taylor, p. 379; and. This part concludes with another momentous event. 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. The brief introduction suggested below will orient students to the film and provide background about Maori culture. 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. "[15] Claudia Puig of USA Today gave the film three-and-a-half out of four stars and praised Castle-Hughes' acting, saying "so effectively does she convey her pained confusion through subtle vocal cues, tentative stance and expressive dark eyes. uneven distributions of wealth. In the 1700s, when Europeans first arrived in New Zealand, it was common for Maori to have tattoos covering their entire face. Pai learns the lessons on her own and knows that she is capable of being the Chief. For the boy who would be chief." Pai: "My name is Paikea Apirana and I come from a long line of chiefs, stretching all the way back to the Whale Rider" Pai: "There was no gladness when I was born.