Blog Post # 8 : Whale Rider (2002) : Paikea - Rider of Whales

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 was a co-production between New Zealand and Germany. It was shot on location in Whangara, the setting of the novel. The film received critical acclaim upon its release. At age 13, Keisha Castle-Hughes (the main character) became the youngest nominee for the Academy Award for Best Actress (the film's only Oscar nomination) before she was surpassed by Quvenzhané Wallis, at age 9, for Beasts of the Southern Wild less than a decade later. The movie was rated 7.6/10 on IMDB and 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.

"People Love Whale Rider"

Plot :

A newborn’s cry is normally a moment of utmost joy. But it wasn’t so when Pai was brought into the world. Her entrance was simultaneous with the death of her mother and twin brother. And in one fell swoop, the line of chieftains descended from Paikea was shattered. (Paikea was the man who founded the Maori race by riding a whale across the ocean to what is now New Zealand.) Pai’s grandfather, Koro, is devastated. His heartbroken son, Porourangi, a direct descendant of Paikea, has left his land, haunted by memories of his wife and son. And without any more pure (male) Maori offspring, there’s no chance for their race to continue. So, every time Koro sees Pai (boisterous, intelligent, loving, lonely, and abandoned Pai), he sees the end of his people. Because though Pai is directly descended from Paikea, she is a girl and Koro knows that a woman could never be the leader of the Maori people. While her grandfather, Koro, later forms an affectionate bond with his granddaughter, carrying her to school every day on his bicycle, he also condemns her and blames her for conflicts happening within the tribe. At one point Paikea decides to leave with her father because her grandfather is mistreating her. She finds that she cannot bear to leave the sea as the whale seems to be calling her back. Pai tells her father to turn the car back and returns home. Pai's father refuses to assume traditional leadership; instead he moves to Germany to pursue a career as an artist. Pai herself is interested in the leadership, learning traditional songs and dances, but is given little encouragement by her grandfather. Pai feels that she can become the leader, although there's no precedent for a woman to do so, and is determined to succeed. Koro leads a cultural school for the village boys, hoping to find a new leader. He teaches the boys to use a taiaha (fighting stick). This is traditionally reserved for males. However, Nanny tells Pai that her second son, Pai's uncle, had won a taiaha tournament in his youth while he was still slim, so Pai secretly learns from him. She also secretly follows Koro's lessons. One of the students, Hemi, is also sympathetic towards her. Koro is enraged when he finds out, particularly when she wins her taiaha fight against Hemi. Koro's relationship with Pai erodes further when none of the boys succeed at the traditional task of recovering the rei puta (whale tooth) that he threw into the ocean – this mission would prove one of them worthy of becoming leader. With the loss of the rei puta, Koro in despair calls out the Ancient ones, the whales. In an attempt to help, Pai also calls out to them and they hear her call. One day Pai finds the rei puta while swimming, signifying that she is the rightful leader. 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. Unknown to all, she had won an inter-school speech contest with a touching dedication to Koro and the traditions of the village. However, Koro was late, and as he was walking to the school, he notices that numerous right whales are beached near Pai's home. The entire village attempts to coax and drag them back into the water, but all efforts prove unsuccessful; even a tractor does not help. Koro sees it as a sign of his failure and despairs further. He admonishes Pai against touching the largest whale because "she has done enough damage" with her presumption. Also, the largest whale traditionally belongs to the legendary Paikea. When Koro walks away Pai climbs onto the back of the largest whale at the location and coaxes it to re-enter the ocean. The whale leads the entire pod back into the sea; Pai submerges completely underwater, and the spectators had wondered if she'd drowned, but were relieved when she came back above sea level. When she goes out to sea, Nanny shows Koro the whale tooth which Pai had previously recovered. When Pai is found and brought to the hospital, Koro declares her the leader and asks her forgiveness. The film ends with Pai's father, grandparents, and uncle coming together to celebrate her status as the new leader, as the finished waka (canoe) is hauled into the sea for its maiden voyage. 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. I'm not a prophet, but I know that our people will keep going forward, all together, with all of our strength."

Analysis & Reflection :

In the film, the need for gracious love in family relationships is emphasized by the lack of it in Pai’s life. this can be seen when Koro is relentlessly harsh toward her, indirectly blaming her for the fracture in the Maori lineage throughout the entire movie, except for the end. However, it is not that he (Koro) hates Pai, but far from it, as he sticks up for her when her schoolmates tease her and regularly pedals her across the lush New Zealand countryside on his bike. That being said, a desperate disappointment lurks at the core of their interactions, because while Koro provides for his granddaughter’s basic needs, he has emotionally abandoned her. Furthermore, his pursuit of a new heir to Paikea (the original ancestor) nearly destroys his household. This is seen when his obsession with tradition causes his wife to consider divorce and Pai’s spirit falters under the old man’s continual disapproval (she sobs uncontrollably after Koro doesn’t show up for a school performance). When his search for an heir fails, he retreats into his bedroom and silently wastes his days on his bed. The message from this film is clear here : personal ambition must never trump the preservation of one’s family. Family is important in one's life, as family systems are built on the foundation of love, attachment, loyalty, and trust, which in turn fulfills safety and status needs, according to the psychology of family. Although, through all of Koro's harsh treatments towards her, at least Pai has her grandmother, who cares for her emotionally as well as physically.

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According to the film's director, Niki Caro, “Whale Rider is essentially about leadership and the fact that leadership presents itself in the form of a young girl”, which would portray themes of feminism in the film. Such feminist sentiments are indeed present in the movie, but are not forceful by any means, for example, Pai’s claim to the position of Maori chief has less to do with female empowerment than being recognized for who she is by her grandfather (and also be subsequently loved). Still, care should be taken to compare and contrast the way the movie handles the role of women with that established in Scripture, and this film has done it beautifully. 

If only you were male...

Conclusion :

With all that has been said, Whale Rider has next to no plot. Its fixation on myths indigenous to New Zealand lends a bizarre, ethereal other-worldliness, and almost all characters speak in Maori almost as much as they do in English. With such a unique premise, why is the slow, sleepy Whale Rider lauded by critics and audiences alike? In my opinion, most of that praise is doubtlessly due to the noteworthy performance of newcomer actress Keisha Castle-Hughes, who gave a compelling performance as Pai, who bore the oddly interconnected burdens of being simultaneously spurned by her relatives and fiercely embraced in love. Yet, perhaps the film is so absorbing because we understand being unable to love those we ought as we ought; we curse and yet our bent hearts still care, and this stokes our empathy not only for those around us, but for the whole of broken humanity as well.

You don't choose your family, they are God's gift to you, as you are to them :)

As mentioned before, feministic themes are present in the movie, and this movie teaches us that women have a place in society, and that place is not beneath them in any way, but rather beside them; of equal status and opportunities, and what better way to write a blog post about this than International Women's Day (8th March).

That's right. You can do it, I can do it too.

Rating : 7/10 

The original whale rider. The pioneer.