What is the main message of the Whale Rider?
Despite its focus on Maori culture, the themes in Whale Rider are universal and highlight important communication principles. We see the power of significant others to affect our self esteem, and the fact that, against strong odds, it is possible to assert ourselves and create an identity of our own.
What are the major themes in the Whale Rider?
The Whale Rider, by Witi Ihimaera, is rich in thematic concerns. The mythical story of the whales told alongside the story of Kahu discusses various important issues. The themes include tradition, oneness with nature, destiny and environmental degradation, just to mention a few.
What does the whale symbolize in Whale Rider?
In the film Whale Rider, the whale represents life and death. The whale represents life because it is the mammal on which Paikea’s great ancestor rode across the ocean reaching New Zealand which eventually became the settlement of the Maori people.
How is Paikea a hero?
Paikea goes through many tests and trials to prove that she is worthy and able to be a leader and a chief. The trials, such as when she finds the whale tooth, her school concerts and when she wins a speech competition and delivers her speech in honor of her grandfather, mold her to become a true hero and leader.
What are some symbols in Whale Rider?
The carving of the whale rider atop the meetinghouse in the film symbolizes the ancestor, Paikea, a tribal leader. A whale rider symbolizes someone possessing the attributes of a Maori leader. The rei puta, or whale tooth, is a symbol of a leader’s status or position within the tribe.
Who is the narrator of Whale Rider?
| Whale Rider | |
|---|---|
| Based on | The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera |
| Produced by | John Barnett Frank Hübner Tim Sanders |
| Starring | Keisha Castle-Hughes Rawiri Paratene Vicky Haughton Cliff Curtis |
| Narrated by | Keisha Castle-Hughes |
Who are the two leaders in Whale Rider?
The first is Koro, the Chief. He wants to continue to lead his people in the Maori ways. The second leader is Pai. The movie script does not give the third leader, Pai’s grandmother, as much screen time as the other two, however.
What does Pai symbolize in Whale Rider?
10 Pai is wearing the whale tooth in the film’s final sequence, signifying her grandfather’s recognition of her rightful place as the community’s spiritual leader.
How old is Pai in Whale Rider?
Pai, an 11-year-old girl in a patriarchal New Zealand tribe, believes she is destined to be the new chief. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick a male leader. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny.
What is the meaning of Paikea?
1. (noun) humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae – the most abundant large whale of Aotearoa/New Zealand.
Did Whale Rider win any awards?
Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer
Independent Spirit Award for Best International Film
Whale Rider/Awards
Are the whales in Whale Rider real?
The whales in the movie were depicted using a combination of footage of real whales, life size models (some with humans creating movement) and CGI. Keisha Castle-Hughes said the key whale riding scene took place 15-20 miles offshore and was terrifying.
