Niki Caro’s film Whale Rider tells the story of a Maori community in modern-day New Zealand and how their customs and traditions are at risk of being lost to time due to the fact that the current generation isn’t really very interested in continuing those traditions.
(Spoilers below)
Koro (Rawiri Paratene) is the patriarch of the community and the custodian of the tribe’s customs and traditions. The tribe’s custom is for a male to become the leader of the tribe. As the film opens, we see a birth: a woman, struggling, with her husband Porourangi (Cliff Curtis) at her side; the husband is Koro’s son. In the opening narration we are told that the tribe is awaiting the first-born male of the “new generation…the boy who would be Chief.”
A complication results in the death of Porourangi’s wife, who had just given birth to twins, a boy and a girl. The boy dies. The girl is Paikea (Keisha Castle-Hughes), and as we discover, the narrator of the film. “There was no gladness we I was born,” she explains, due to the fact that it was a girl who survived the birth, and not a boy.
Paikea’s grandfather, Koro, represents the ways of the ancestors, and in that he also represents the main problem of his people: the ancient traditions and customs are not being passed along to a new generation. In that his people are at risk for losing that culture, with many in the community content with living their lives in accordance with 20th century Western customs, and not the customs and traditions of their tribe.
As we see throughout the film, Koro is determined for his people to live their lives in accordance with the ancient traditions – something Koro holds onto to the point of obsession. At the hospital, Koro is more concerned that his grandson died and doesn’t share in his son’s grief over losing his wife and a son. “All you want is your boy,” Porourangi tells Koro, as the two speak in a hospital hallway. Koro tells Porourangi he can start over, meaning to get married again and to try and have a boy. “I’ve got a child,” Porourangi says, saying her name is Paikea. Koro is offended; Paikea is the name of a tribal god, and not a name to give to a girl.
Article comments
1 - Nancy
This really was a lovely & terrific movie - I went & got the DVD as soon as it came out. My only criticism of it was that it was too short; I wished there was more. I particularly enjoyed the Group Tribal launching of the boat at the end, as well as the sequence with Rawiri teaching Paikea the taiaha moves to the entertainment & astonishment of his girlfriend & all his cronies. The cinematography was sublime: New Zealand is a gorgeous place, as LOTR demonstrated.
2 - Tan The Man
It was...
3 - Joanie
This is one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen. I ended up buying it for my daughter's birthday because she had repeatedly exclaimed how fabulous it was.
4 - kid
Whale Rider sucked.
5 - The Man
YO YO, Wazup
6 - Chris
I thank you for your wonderful job commenting on the film but I have to challenge one point. You call the use of barefeet a motif. Granted if this film were set in New York and Pai ran around in barefeet it might mean something, or in the case of Judaism where Moses is commanded to take of his sandals becasue he is on holy ground, but this is New Zealand. I grew up in Hawaii as a part of a culture that has very close ties with the Maori and I walked around with barefeet for more or less the first 20 years of my life. It meant nothing significant other than the fact that I didn't have shoes on.
Don't read into other movies what isn't there
7 - rosie
whale rider was ok but igotta do this massive project on it and its really hard considering i wasnt paying attention in the lesson so i need help i need to find out the motifs of the fim and what they are. i know one of them, thats the rope it represents the ancestors but i dont know any more so please help thank-you xxxxxx
8 - jessica
I think this movie is alright !
9 - Lily
I watched this in english! its soooo good!!!!
10 - blah
what is the name of porourangis wife???