Paikea, Uncle Rawiri, Nanny Flowers and Koro
Whale Rider
In the story, the whale represents life and death. When Koro Apirana, Rawiri, and the guys are in the meeting house discussing what should be done, Koro Apirana states that if the whale dies, we die. If the whale lives, we live. So that shows that the whale is life and death to them. This was said by Koro when the ancient bull whale was washed up on Whangara probably because that was the bull whale that was rode by Kahutia Te Rangi. Also, the whale is the mammal which brought them to the land in the first place. If Paikea (ancestor) hadent rode the whale, they wouldn't be in New Zealand. the rope is also a symbol in whale rider because it symbolises the ancestral line of the Maori community that they live in.when the rope is broken it symbolises the community falling apart. paikea then fixes the rope and this is as if she has rejoined the community.
Witi Ihimaera (The Matriarch, Tangi) was inspired to write Whale Rider in 1985 while living in an apartment in New York overlooking the Hudson River. The sight of a whale spouting on the river in 1985 reminded Ihimaera of his people's legend, and led to his story about young Paikea and her grandfather, Koro. The Whale Rider story reworks the legend of his tribe at Whangara. It tells how their ancestor, Paikea, arrived at the East Coast on the back of a mighty whale.He also says: "I wrote the book primarily to ensure that some communication was happening between myself and my tribe, and so that communities everywhere would understand that for you to have a healthy community filled with fine leaders, you need to look in places where you might not normally have thought to yourself to look, and that leadership comes out of surprising people, both men and women. "
Both "Antigone" and "Whale Rider" explore themes of tradition, gender roles, and defiance against societal norms. Additionally, both works feature strong female protagonists who challenge authority in order to uphold their beliefs and values. While "Antigone" is a Greek tragedy and "Whale Rider" is a contemporary film set in New Zealand, both narratives highlight the importance of individual agency and the struggle between tradition and modernity.
In Maori mythology, the story of the Whale Rider, known as Paikea, tells of a young girl who defies tradition to prove her worth as a leader and protector of her people. Paikea's connection with whales symbolizes her strength, resilience, and ability to bridge the gap between the old ways and the modern world. The myth highlights themes of cultural identity, gender roles, and the importance of respecting nature.
Koro is the chief of the Maori Tribe. He is Paikea's Grandfather. Paikea was born with her twin brother, who was in line for chief, but he died at birth and she didn't. Koro blamed Paikea for the death of the leader. The chain of the first born males being chief was broken. Koro is very dis-approving of Pai and is aggresive towards her through her life. Pai ends up having all the skills and talents of a chief and she is the true air to the position but Koro is too sacred to let her be the leader. He is very traditional and does not want to brake the line of his ancestors. I'm not going to spoil the rest of the story though!
The duration of Whale Rider is 1.68 hours.
Whale Rider was created on 2002-09-09.
Whale Rider was released on 06/06/2003.
The Production Budget for Whale Rider was $4,300,000.
Niki Caro directed the film Whale rider.