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Section C New horizons
1
Online chapter
In this chapter we will cover:
some of the organisations and processes involved in the
production of Whale Rider
the history of the Maori people the themes and issues raised
within the fi lm the ways in which people and places are
represented the style and genre of the fi lm.
8 Case study: Whale Rider
1 A promotional still for Whale Rider
Country: New Zealand
Production year: 2002
Director: Niki Caro
Certifi cate: PG
Main awards:
Best feature fi lm: BAFTA Children’s award
New Zealand Film & TV award
Section C New horizons
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Section C, Case study: Whale Rider
SynopsisThe fi lm Whale Rider follows Pai, the lonely daughter
of Porourangi. Pai’s mother died giving birth to her and her twin
brother (who also dies). Porourangi was heartbroken by his loss and
leaves his daughter to be brought up by her grandparents, also
leaving his village and Maori traditions behind him.
Porourangi’s father is the Chief of Whangara but his
old-fashioned attitudes blind him to his granddaughter’s potential
as his successor. It is only when disaster strikes that Pai can
prove to her grandfather that her village’s link with the spiritual
world of the Maori lives on.
IntroductionNiki Caro is a relatively new fi lm director but a
successful one who gained praise for her fi rst fi lm Memory and
Desire (1997). She worked closely with the writer of the original
book and producer of the fi lm. The writer, Witi Ihimaera, lived in
Whangara as a child and was inspired to write Whale Rider when a
whale came into Hudson Bay in New York, where he now lives,
reminding him of the legends of his childhood. In addition, his
daughters commented on how the fi lms they watched rarely seemed to
have women or girls as the ‘hero’, so he wanted to write a story
where a girl was the protagonist.
Whale Rider was the fi rst fi lm to benefi t from investment
from the New Zealand Film Production fund, which is a government
initiative to support the New Zealand fi lm industry. It is
intended to help fi lm-makers gain wider distribution with the
creation of larger-scale fi lms. As the country is the birthplace
of Peter Jackson, director of Lord of the Rings, and a favoured
venue for Jackson and other fi lm-makers, the government seems keen
to get in on the international fi lm market. Other fi lms from New
Zealand that have already been distributed over here include The
World’s Fastest Indian (2005) and Black Sheep (2006), a horror
comedy. As with countries like the UK, New Zealand hasn’t the fi
nancial means to produce large-scale fi lms so its fi lms are often
supported by foreign as well as local investors.
AO2 – Explore, respond to and refl ect on a range of fi lms and
topics
As a class, see if you can fi nd the answers to the following
questions:
Who will become our next Head of State when the Queen either
dies or decides to stand down?
Is it always the eldest child who succeeds to the throne? If
not, why not?
Does this seem unfair to you in any way?
Activity 1
Key termsProtagonist: the character at the centre of the story
that drives the narrative forwards
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Section C, Case study: Whale Rider
Maori cultureThe culture and traditions of the Maori people are
central to the narrative of Whale Rider. Maori people are the
indigenous people of New Zealand, which means the fi rst people to
have populated it. It is believed they may have originated from
Polynesia. The Maori lived off the land, hunting and growing food,
and history was passed down to generations through songs and chants
rather than writing or images.
The Maori are a scattered group. In some areas they live in
tight-knit communities and in other areas they own farmland that is
amongst other New Zealanders; many move to cities and some Maoris
forget their traditions and immerse themselves in modern life.
The Maori religion considers nature as a living thing, closely
bound to man through ritual. Many of these rituals are still
carried out through traditional art and music. The Maori is a
complex culture made up of a variety of tribes but land was shared
communally, with each tribe having a marae (a meeting hall). This
meeting place is sacred to the Maori people as it is seen to be the
home of the ancestral spirits – it is a very important part of
Maori culture. It is the centre of the community, where important
events take place.
From the 1600s onwards many European settlers came to New
Zealand. Although the Maori did not accept this initially, they
were left with little choice in the end. British colonising led to
further problems so in 1840 the Treaty of Waitangi was signed. This
meant the Maori signed over sovereignty to England in exchange for
protection of their rights to land. However, relations between the
Maori and the settlers were not good and many of their rights were
ignored. New Zealand gained independence in 1947.
There is increasing pride in being a Maori, helped by the hugely
revered rugby team and their intimidating ‘haka’, which was
originally a war dance. Maori numbers are on the increase but they
are still a minority in their own country.
Maoris, similar to Native American Indians, have had various
problems caused by invaders taking over their land and taking their
rights of ownership away from them. Although there are initiatives
to help communities reclaim lands, there are a lot of social
problems evident in Maori communities, such as drug addiction and
crime. Maori make up only 15 per cent of the population but 50 per
cent of the prison population of New Zealand. 2 The marae, or
meeting hall, in Whale Rider. What do you see it being used
for in the fi lm?
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Section C, Case study: Whale Rider
Themes and issues
Gender: the changing role of women in society Although the
setting of Whale Rider is very important in terms of the fi lm’s
narrative, one of the central themes, the changing role of women in
modern society, is universal.
Pai’s relationship with her grandfather, Koro, is threatened by
her strength and determination to adapt and so carry on traditions
that have been important within the Maori culture for generations.
Tradition dictates that in every generation the chief’s eldest son
will take over his role. Pai’s father is the next in line. However,
when his wife and son (Pai’s twin brother) die during childbirth he
leaves the village and refuses to become the next chief.
As Pai grows up, her belief that she can become chief grows
stronger. She loves her grandfather and desperately tries to prove
herself but Koro cannot adapt and her ambition constantly threatens
their relationship. Throughout the fi lm Pai consistently proves
her ability to lead; she demonstrates the necessity to both hold on
to the important values within a society while adapting to new
challenges and ideas. This theme is also explored through the
coming of the whale, which symbolises the importance of
understanding our relationship with the natural world
Style, narrative and genreWhale Rider has a simple, linear
narrative and though it brings to life elements of myth and legend,
it also maintains a social realist tradition of dealing with social
issues. It also has quite cheap production values and uses
non-actors along with established actors, which is common in social
realism. However, there are also elements of drama in the fi lm.
There are lots of emotional scenes and we particularly feel
involved in the pain felt by both Pai and her grandfather.
Though
Culturalchange
Gender
Family
Pai
Our relationship with the
natural world
3 Themes and issues in Whale Rider
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Section C, Case study: Whale Rider
we as a modern audience are likely to sympathise with Pai
because we see Koro’s attitude as stubborn and old-fashioned, the
many close-ups we see when Pai or anyone else is not looking show
us the true pain Koro is in; and that in fact he is only doing what
he thinks is right to save his people from despair.
A positive ending to the trials of Pai brings closure to the fi
lm and a ‘happy ending’ for the audience. Pai has successfully
brought her community together by showing the courage and strength
to almost sacrifi ce herself to uphold her grandfather’s beliefs by
becoming the ‘whale rider’. This scene is very emotional and
dramatic when Koro fi nally realises Pai is the one he has been
looking for all along but trying desperately to deny it.
Pai narrates the fi lm herself. In the opening of the fi lm we
see her birth and she narrates what happened. She also narrates at
other stages in the fi lm, including the ending.
SoundSound is very noticeable in Whale Rider. The sounds that
our attention is drawn to are the sea, the sound of the whales, a
lilting and melancholy soundtrack and the Maori songs and chants.
These sounds really help to create atmosphere in the fi lm and are
important in reminding us of the importance of song to the Maori
religion and culture. The whale sounds link to the story of how the
ancestors came to Whangara and the music is repeatedly referred to
when the whales are seen. They remind us of their spiritual link to
the village as the sounds are almost ethereal.
RepresentationThere are a number of issues focused on in Whale
Rider – social problems, family, loss, poverty – but the main issue
is Koro’s attitude that women, namely Pai, should not try to take a
role traditionally taken by men. He constantly ignores her
practical abilities and leadership qualities just because she is a
girl. This links closely with his culture and traditional
beliefs.
4 Pai and her grandfather
AO2 – Explore, respond to and refl ect on a range of fi lms and
topics
What is the purpose of using a narrative voice-over in a fi
lm?1
Why do you think a narrator is included in Whale Rider?2
Why is Pai the one who narrates?3
Activity 2
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Section C, Case study: Whale Rider
Pai’s relationship with her grandfather is central to the
development of the narrative in Whale Rider. Right at the beginning
of the fi lm he tries to reject her when she is born but Nanny
Flowers forces him to accept her as his granddaughter. The scene
straight after shows us Pai as a 12-year-old girl and it is clear
they have grown close as the fi rst image we see is her riding on
the front of his bike.
This establishes their close bond early on in the narrative but
the rest of the fi lm focuses on the huge clash between them.
Pai stands out in the narrative in many ways and the fi lm
repeatedly draws our attention to her diff erence. We hardly ever
see girls who are the same age as her other than in the school
concert. Pai is either with her family, who are all adults, or the
group of boys who end up being trained to take over the job she
knows is really hers.
Pai is often fi lmed on her own. Her isolation is evident by the
way she is fi lmed; looking out to sea while sitting in her
father’s boat, or standing away from the group. She is also often
dressed in brighter clothing than the group she is with so she
always grabs our attention.
The social problems faced by the community are also evident but
they are not dwelled on, so the audience understands these problems
are sadly accepted as part of modern life for the Maori. When Pai
pays a surprise visit to her uncle, he is half asleep with his
girlfriend, with drug paraphernalia resting on his chest. He and
his friends are rarely seen without a beer and obviously have
little to occupy their time – whenever we see them they are just
hanging around or playing pool. Our attention is also drawn to
Hemi’s father. After watching his son ‘audition’ to be chief, he
disappears immediately afterwards with a group of men in a black
car. There is an ominous edge to this scene that Hemi and the
audience notice.
Whale Rider is about many things, including:
the problems caused by generational diff erences
trying to maintain respect for ancient traditions in a modern
world
the social problems faced by many young people.
But these problems are dealt with alongside the main narrative
of the relationship between Pai and her grandfather.
AO2 – Explore, respond to and refl ect on a range of fi lms and
topics
See how many examples you can fi nd where Pai angers her
grandfather and when she is upset by something he has done or
said.
Why does Koro constantly reject the eff orts of his
granddaughter to please him?
Why does Pai constantly do things she knows will anger and upset
her grandfather?
Activity 3
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Section C, Case study: Whale Rider
Whale Rider is fi lmed entirely on location at Whangara, the
setting for the book from which the screenplay was developed. The
fi lm-makers wanted to involve the people of the local community in
telling a story which is essentially about them, so many of the
locals star as extras in the fi lm. The setting is very important
for creating meaning within the narrative of Whale Rider. Long and
wide shots of the village and surrounding area emphasise both the
beautiful, but quite barren, countryside and also the poor standard
of the housing and unkempt areas. Whangara does not look like an
easy place to prosper in. The audience are clearly told in Pai’s
narrative voice-over that this is not a place people stay if they
want to do well. When describing what happened in her childhood and
to her father she says, ‘He went away. Everybody did.’
We don’t see any other locations so we feel the isolation of the
community both in a social sense and in terms of its culture. The
village’s link with the sea is also emphasised throughout the fi
lm. It is often visible in long sweeping shots but it is evident
that this is not a tourist destination from the images of the sea
and the beach in wind and rain. The story of the whale rider and
the ancestor’s arrival is referred to throughout the fi lm and we
are constantly aware of how Pai is drawn to the ocean.
AO2 – Explore, respond to and refl ect on a range of fi lms and
topics
Watch the scene where Pai is leaving the village with her
father.
How does the camera draw our attention to the sea?
How do we know something is wrong and that Pai is so strongly
involved?
Activity 4
5 Whangara – the setting for Whale Rider
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Section C, Case study: Whale Rider
Additional resources Film Education: Whale Rider Case study at
www.fi lmeducation.org
The Making of ‘Whale Rider’ (NZ 2003), director Jonathan
Brough
‘Whale Rider’ by Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian, 11 July 2003
(www.guardian.co.uk)
‘Moby Chick’ by Philip French in The Observer, 13 July 2003
(www.guardian.co.uk)
Chapter 4 is a key scene in the fi lm. Watch this scene where
Pai and Koro are talking about where her ancestors come from. He
compares the ancestors to the rope with which he is trying to fi x
the boat engine. The rope breaks and Pai fi xes it but, rather than
thanking her or being impressed, Koro tells her she shouldn’t have
done it.
The rope is used symbolically in this scene. Koro begins this
symbol and it continues throughout this scene. What do you think is
the meaning behind the rope breaking and Pai fi xing it?
The fi nal scene is another key scene and is the most dramatic
in the fi lm.
Analyse the scene from where Pai is making her emotional speech
to her grandfather up until the ending. How do editing and camera
angles emphasise the relationship between Pai and her grandfather
in this scene?
An important prop is also focused on in a close-up shot and this
seems to be when Koro realises Pai’s importance to the community.
Why do you think this moment is so important?
Here again we see Pai walking separately from the rest of the
community and there is despair that the whales will not survive.
When Pai rides the whale this changes everything. Analyse the micro
elements from when Pai starts to ride the whale until we see her in
hospital. How is the drama of the scene emphasised through sound,
camerawork and editing in particular?
We fear Pai is dead but the fi nal scene is uplifting and we are
left in no doubt this Maori community will survive as Pai, in her
narration exclaims, ‘All together, all of our strength’, is what
will keep the village alive. How is this feeling strengthened by
what is happening?
Activity 5