WHALE RIDER

New Zealand, 2002, 101 minutes, Colour.
Keisha Castle- Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicki Haughton, Cliff Curtis.
Directed by Niki Caro.

For audiences searching for a film for the whole family, a quality film with serious themes and a touch of humour, Whale Rider is just the film.

It comes from New Zealand, from a novel by Witi Ihimaera. It boasts wonderful photography of a village on the east coast of the North Island, filmed in the town where the film is set. The village is small and a community of Maori people live there. They treasure myths about their ancestor, a hero who came to the land, riding on the back of a whale. As the modern world has encroached on the people, they are in need of a new leader. When the son of the chief goes to Europe to work as an artist, expectations are high for the birth of his son.

In fact, twins are born. The boy dies, but the girl lives. When things deteriorate in the village, the chief blames his granddaughter even though he loves her. She, on the other hand, is a strong-minded girl and learns all the rites and rituals of the tradition even though she has been forbidden to do so. But, it is she who is destined to be the new whale rider and the new chief. Whales beach themselves on the coast at the end of the film, then the myth of the whale rider lives again.

Most of the cast had not acted before. Eleven year old Keisha Castle-Hughes? is so natural as well as forceful on screen, there is no doubt that she will make a great leader (and actress). She received an Oscar nomination as Best Actress. Rawiri Paratene as the chief brings great dignity to his role, even though he is at times harsh and stubborn. This is tempered by Vicky Haughton as the kind and proud grandmother.

The film is firmly based in New Zealand and on Maori customs. It takes us into an unfamiliar world and invites us to consider a different culture. Yet, the story and the characters are universal and all of us can identify with them. It is also a convincing picture of men and women working together and women emerging in leadership roles. Plenty to enjoy as well as to think about.

1. The popularity of the film throughout the world? A New Zealand story? Universal characters and themes?

2. The Maori traditions, the coming of the people to the land, the tradition of the whale rider and the continued leadership in this part of New Zealand? The continuity of tradition, of chiefs, the encroachment of the 21st century?

3. The location photography, the east coast of the north island, the village, the sea? The musical score? The Maori songs?

4. The title, the mythology, the traditions in the 21st century, the importance of Paikea as the new leader?

5. The opening: the difficult birth, the twins, the boy dying, the daughter surviving? Paikea and her voice-over commentary? The reaction of the father, his grief, going away to Europe? The grandmother and her care? The grandfather, his sternness, the traditions, disowning the daughter?

6. Eleven years passing, the father and his success in Europe, his art exhibitions, his slide show? His father concerned about him marrying and bringing the schoolteacher to the slide show? His telling his father about his German girlfriend and her pregnancy? Her presence at the end of the film?

7. Paikea and the eleven-year-old girl, in the household, the old women playing cards thinking her bossy? At school and her success? In the concerts, the singing, her speech? At home, helping her grandmother? Her grandfather's devotion, picking her up from school, riding the bicycle?

8. The grandmother and her exasperation with her husband, her commenting about divorce? She and the women smoking, being reprimanded by Paikea? Her relationship with her husband, wanting him to mellow?

9. The grandfather and his decision to be a chief, asking his son to help him with the training of the boys? Collecting the boys, the rituals, the singing, the fighting, the Maori traditions? Their drill, their tests? Throwing his whale's tooth into the water and challenging the boys to find it - their failure?

10. The boys, at school, in the village, their parents - the young boy who seemed to be destined to be leader, his interactions with Paikea, his being sent away by the chief? His bringing his father to the demonstration and his father going away in the car with the men to drink?

11. Paikea, her being ousted from the classes, listening outside the window, learning the songs, learning the battle sequences? Her battle with the boy and the anger of her grandfather?

12. The beached whales, the grandfather going instead of going to the concert? Paikea giving her speech about her grandfather and her love for him and his leadership and his being her guest of honour but absent? The support of the other people at the concert?

13. The beach, the community trying to keep the whales alive? Paikea and her being on the outer? Her having gone in the boat with her uncle, recovered the whale's tooth, but her not having given it to her grandfather? Her grandmother giving it to her husband on the beach?


14. Paikea getting onto the whale, the whale coming alive, taking her out into the water, her ride, her being under the water and holding her breath, her emergence? As leader? Her grandfather in awe, having to accept that she was the leader?

15. The finale, the building of the boat, taking it out in the water, Paikea with her grandfather, her father helping with the rowing, her uncle?

16. The gallery of characters in the village, the village school, the Maori art and carvings? Her relations, the women, the people at the school? An authentic picture of Maori life at the beginning of the 21st century?