Whale Rider: A Maori Fable Comes to Life
A Tribe Deals with Radical Changes in this New Zealand Film
Jan 12, 2009
Named after the 2002 book, Whale Rider is a moving story and an interesting look into the Maori culture.
Keisha Castle Hughes plays Pai, the young girl who carries the weight of the tribe on her shoulders as she attempts to gain acceptance as a leader. Keisha seems to be able to perform beyond her age and the subtleties in her character are impressive. Her portrayal of Pai is more than worthy of the Oscar nomination she receives.
Pai is named after the man who centuries ago founded the tribe. Pai's granddad Koro takes issue with the young girls symbolic name and makes it clear he wants a boy to train as chieftain.
The story proper is driven by Koro, the unyielding chieften played by Rawiri Paratene. His stern hold on the old ways make it difficult for him to accept his granddaughter as a leader. Koro's adherence to the traditions convinces him to start a school for the young boys of the tribe in order to find a new chief. Pai being a girl, is denied entry to the school, thus begins her quest of attempting to prove herself.
Keisha Castle Hughes as Pai, the young Maori girl struggling to prove herself
When the tribe receives a grim prophetic message in the form of several beached whales, the people believe their way of life may be doomed. Drastic measures are taken to ensure the survival of both the animals and the Maori.
The impressive thing about this film is that it refuses to push an opinion or agenda of any kind when it easily could have. As a story Whale Rider could provide a platform for enviromentalism or push the need to follow tradition, yet it does neither of these things. The plot develops in a way that lets viewers retain their beliefs about how this delicate situation should be handled.
Nearly everything about the film is alien to the American audience. The actors, the groups of people involved, the deep traditions with the culture in question are things many viewers will be exposed to for the first time.
Whale Rider educates the viewer about Maori culture but doesn't use the culture as a gimmick to attract an audience.
Whale Rider Exposes Americans to Several Elements that may be Foreign to them
Symbolism is used several times and can be predictable in certain scenes, but it is never overly done. It is obvious that the rope Pai binds together represents the Maori, just as it is obvious the beached whales spell disaster for the tribe. Yet none of these forms of symbolism have the corniness that might be expected to come along with them.
Words that are unspoken can often be more powerful than scripted ones. Which is a concept Whale Rider director Niki Caro has a good grasp of. Emotions are often not conveyed through the script but through silent means of expressions and camera work, a feature that seems to be disappearing in modern movie making.
It should be noted that while Whale Rider may be unassuming it is quite heavy. Dramas have the curious ability to be exhausting and this film is no exception.
Also, The PG-13 rating is somewhat deceiving, parents should not fear to view this movie with children.
Whale Rider is a quality film that educates and allows its self to be taken in without hidden agendas. A great "off the beaten path" movie.
