8 Case study: Whale Rider

Section C C New horizons Online chapter 8 Case study: Whale Rider Country: New Zealand Production year: 2002 Director: Niki Caro Certificate: PG Main awards: Best feature film: BAFTA Children s award New Zealand Film & TV award 1 A promotional still for Whale Rider 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 film the ways in which people and places are represented the style and genre of the film. 1

Activity 1 AO2 Explore, respond to and reflect on a range of films and topics As a class, see if you can find 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? Synopsis The film 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. Introduction Key terms Protagonist: the character at the centre of the story that drives the narrative forwards Niki Caro is a relatively new film director but a successful one who gained praise for her first film Memory and Desire (1997). She worked closely with the writer of the original book and producer of the film. 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 films 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 first film to benefit from investment from the New Zealand Film Production fund, which is a government initiative to support the New Zealand film industry. It is intended to help film-makers gain wider distribution with the creation of larger-scale films. As the country is the birthplace of Peter Jackson, director of Lord of the Rings, and a favoured venue for Jackson and other film-makers, the government seems keen to get in on the international film market. Other films 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 financial means to produce large-scale films so its films are often supported by foreign as well as local investors. 2

Maori culture The 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 first 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. 2 The marae, or meeting hall, in Whale Rider. What do you see it being used for in the film? 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. 3

Themes and issues Cultural change Family Pai Gender Our relationship with the natural world 3 Themes and issues in Whale Rider Gender: the changing role of women in society Although the setting of Whale Rider is very important in terms of the film 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 film 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 genre Whale 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 film. There are lots of emotional scenes and we particularly feel involved in the pain felt by both Pai and her grandfather. Though 4

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 film and a happy ending for the audience. Pai has successfully brought her community together by showing the courage and strength to almost sacrifice herself to uphold her grandfather s beliefs by becoming the whale rider. This scene is very emotional and dramatic when Koro finally realises Pai is the one he has been looking for all along but trying desperately to deny it. 4 Pai and her grandfather Pai narrates the film herself. In the opening of the film we see her birth and she narrates what happened. She also narrates at other stages in the film, including the ending. Activity 2 AO2 Explore, respond to and reflect on a range of films and topics 1 What is the purpose of using a narrative voice-over in afilm? 2 Why do you think a narrator is included in Whale Rider? 3 Why is Pai the one who narrates? Sound Sound 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 film 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. Representation There 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. 5

Pai s relationship with her grandfather is central to the development of the narrative in Whale Rider. Right at the beginning of the film 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 first 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 film focuses on the huge clash between them. Activity 3 AO2 Explore, respond to and reflect on a range of films and topics See how many examples you canfind where Pai angers her grandfather and when she is upset by something he has done or said. Why does Koro constantly reject the efforts of his granddaughter to please him? Why does Pai constantly do things she knows will anger and upset her grandfather? Pai stands out in the narrative in many ways and the film repeatedly draws our attention to her difference. 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 filmed on her own. Her isolation is evident by the way she is filmed; 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 differences 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. 6

5 Whangara the setting for Whale Rider Whale Rider is filmed entirely on location at Whangara, the setting for the book from which the screenplay was developed. The film-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 film. 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 voiceover 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 film. 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 film and we are constantly aware of how Pai is drawn to the ocean. Activity 4 AO2 Explore, respond to and reflect on a range of films 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? 7

Activity 5 Chapter 4 is a key scene in thefilm. 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 fix the boat engine. The rope breaks and Paifi 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 Paifi xing it? Thefinal scene is another key scene and is the most dramatic in thefilm. 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 thefinal 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? Additional resources Film Education: Whale Rider Case study at www.filmeducation.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) 8