May 01, 2003 the whale rider is definitely in my top ten list of alltime favorite books. The whale rider by witi ihimaera penguin books australia. How characterisation builds up the story in the whale rider saturday october 28 2017 lucy kamau takes a look at koro apirana, kahu and nani flowers in witi ihamaeras book. Elements of the beowulf storyincluding its setting and charactersdate back to the period. Whale rider is an internationally successful new zealand film focusing on indigenous cultural issues. See a complete list of the characters in beowulf and indepth analyses of beowulf, grendel, hrothgar, unferth, wiglaf, grendels mother, and the dragon. Whale rider is a magical tale of survival, stubbornness and destiny. The bull whale is an ancient whale, about 65 feet long. As told in the book, melville met with more than the usual hardships of a. The whale rider is definitely in my top ten list of alltime favorite books.
Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. It is leading its herd in search of safer waters, but at the same time it struggles to come to terms with its deep love for the ancient whale rider, now long dead, who once had been its dearest companion. The whale rider together with yavaraj athur raghuvir i watched the movie called the whale rider which deals with the issue of cultural restrains both as an individual and as a society. Write one descriptive sentence describing the sounds s whale makes. Comprehension and discussion activities for the film whale rider.
Kahu, an eightyearold maori girl, adores her greatgrandfather, koro apirana, but he pays her little attention. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of the whale rider by witi ihimaera. The whale rider study guide contains a biography of author witi ihimaera, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Before you start, have a look at the sample frame below. Kahu is his only greatgrandchildand maori tradition has no use for a girl. The whale rider is a 1987 novel by new zealander witi ihimaera. The whale rider starts a thousand years ago, with a pod of whales. If youve ever felt discriminated against because of. This comparison is an important motif of the book, and it is the stepping stone for drawing the symbolic connection between the wandering whale herd and the maori people of. Eightyearold kahu, a member of the maori tribe of whangara, new zealand, fights to prove her love, her leadership, and her destiny. The warrior beowulf must fight and defeat the monster grendel, who is terrorizing denmark, and later, grendels mother, who begins killing out of revenge. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing whale rider near you. Pais mother died during childbirth and her artist father has left new zealand. The idea of the whale rider is a maori myth but myths and legends are a huge part of any culture, and maoris are very proud of theirs.
However, pai is female and technically cannot inherit the leadership. It won the audience awards as the most popular film at both the toronto and sundance film festivals, played to standing ovations, left audiences in tears. Whale rider is a 2002 new zealandgerman family drama film written and directed by niki caro. For instance, beowulf sounds like its about a wolf spoiler alert.
Based on the novel of the same name by witi ihimaera, the film stars keisha castlehughes as kahu paikea apirana, a twelveyearold maori girl whose ambition is to become the chief of the tribe. The story takes place in new zealand where the maori people of a small village claim descent from the whale rider. Comprehension and discussion activities for the film whale. The whale rider study guide contains a biography of author witi ihimaera, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a. Her greatgrandfather is chief of the whangara, who are descendants of a legendary whale rider. One relationship in particular that between the whale rider and his giant whale was exemplary of a symbiotic connection. She has a disciplined mind in her habits of working until she masters a. It is about the struggles of a maori girl, paikea, to succeed her grandfather as leader of her tribe in spite of tradition dictating that the chief be male. The whale rider chapter 6 porourangi returns from south island to live in whangara porourangi brings kahu back to nani flowers from rehuas mother for the holidays porourangi brings kahu back to nani flowers from rehuas mother for the holidays kahu is back. How characterisation builds up the story in the whale rider. I absolutely adore everything about it, and really do think theres something everyone can relate to in this story.
Kennings for a particular character are listed in that characters article. This is the origin story of twin brothers beowulf and grendel, separated at birth and reunited by an extraordinary family. There are physical things that are described in the book the sweep of the bay, the island that looks. The whale rider is a story about a maori girl named kahu, who dreams of being the chief of her tribe. Many books have been made into movies, and they are often not at all faithful to the original, other than the name, and usually the names of the characters. The role of chief is always passed onto a male, but there is no male heir, only kahu. But when hundreds of whales beach themselves and threaten the future of the maori tribe, it is kahu who saves the tribe when she reveals that she has the whale rider s ancient gift of communicating with whales. It took herman melville 5 chapters and an epilogue to say, a bunch of guys fight a whale and they lose. Now available in simultaneous hardcover and paperback. The novel was set in whangara and it would almost have been heresy to shoot anywhere else. Whale rider takes place in present day new zealand, where a 12yearold girl named pai keisha castlehughes is growing up in an allmaori community. Whale rider mat no 10 storyboarding read the following excerpt from the book the whale rider.
Can someone give me a summary of the whale rider book. Tradition as a tool for oppressing women in witi ihimaeras the whale rider. Whale rider this module has been designed to accompany the film whale rider 2003. The whale anglosaxon narrative poetry project rutgers. Most specifically, it makes you believe that a book thats basically about cultural rituals among the maori people of new zealand isnt only fascinating and entertaining, but accessible. Its a story about a young maori girl, paikea apirana thats born into the chief line along with a twin brother. Whale rider is an expressive, cultural drama film by the award winning director nikola jean niki caro, that explores the ideas of love, rejection, tradition and gender roles. The world premiere was on september 2002, at the toronto international film festival.
In the whale rider, kahu is a young maori girl who wants to be the chief of her tribe, but cannot be because in her culture that role is only for men. The taniwha is the mythological whale or sea creature that paikea the ancestor rode on to lead the way to aeoteara new zealand originally. The influence of beliefs on individual life in witi ihimaeras. Paikea is said to have arrived from their place of origin, hawaikii, on the back of a whale.
The whale rider essays are academic essays for citation. Her people claim descent from kahutia te rangi, the legendary whale rider. Whale rider arrives in theaters already proven as one of the great audience grabbers of recent years. Ancestor of the people of te tai rawhiti, he travelled from hawaiki, the place of the ancients, to the east coast of new zealand. Movie analysis the whale rider together with yavaraj athur raghuvir i watched the movie called the whale rider which deals with the issue of cultural restrains both as an individual and as a society. Whale rider set in the east coast town of whangara, whale rider tells the tale of a young maori girl, pai keisha castlehughes, who challenges tradition and embraces the past in order to find the strength to lead her people forward. Jan 01, 1987 written in 1987, the whale rider is a deceptively short book. If youve ever felt discriminated against because of your gender, this is the book for you. Analysis of the whale rider essay example graduateway.
The scarlet letter adventures of huck finn the canterbury tales beowulf see all. Te kaieke tohora is a 2002 film based on the book the whale rider by witi ihimaera. Pai main character and the new whale rider born into a line of chiefs has all the qualities of a leader struggles against gender stereotypes and koro. The chiefs eldest son, porourangi, fathers twins a boy and a girl. The whale rider quotes goodreads meet your next favorite book. This whale rider casts spears as lifegiving objects to the islands, but one spear he casts years into the future, which is the time of the storys young heroine kahu. The films plot follows the story of paikea apirana pai in the book, her name is kahu, short for kahutia te rangi, a 12yearold girl who is the only living child in the line of the tribes chiefly succession following the death of her twin brother and mother when she was born. In every generation since kahutia, a male heir has inherited the title of chief. Then, use the book excerpt and translate it into single frames. Written in 1987, the whale rider is a deceptively short book. Jun 20, 2003 whale rider arrives in theaters already proven as one of the great audiencegrabbers of recent years. Her grandfather koro apirana believes that this is a role reserved for males only. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.
Blending legend with a reality thats both gritty and beautiful, this novel was made into a movie that was released in the united states just prior to the books publication here. Pick 5 books and well tell you what you should bingewatch while youre. Whale rider when talking about choosing the location to shoot whale rider, the films producer, john barnett says. The whale rider epilogue summary and analysis gradesaver. The whale rider 2002 summary and analysis uk essays. But now there is no male heir, and the aging chief is desperate to find a successor. Let us always be pledged to him, seeking our salvation in this transitory time, so that we are allowed to brook. The films plot follows the story of paikea apirana pai. Can someone compare the whale rider book and movie to me i. Only kahu understands that she is the whale rider, and that she must guide the whales back to the safety of the sea.
Described by metro magazine as part oracle, part memoralist, and an inspired voice, weaving many stories together, ihimaera has also written for stage and screen, edited books on the arts and culture, as well. Kirkus, and the bulletin of the center for childrens books, named on kirkus best books of 2016. In a small new zealand coastal village, maori claim descent from paikea, the whale rider. The whale in this context of whangara takes on the mythical origins of the taniwha but also serves as a lineage to. The whale rider abstract whale rider is a drama film of the 2002, based on the novel of witi ihimaera, and directed by niki caro. The rite of passage of the hero jonah mentioned in ihimaeras book, the whale rider who emerged a changed man from the whale s belly is one example. Witi ihimaeras the whale rider is one of those rare books that is so pure and so moving that it makes you believe anything is possible. The story takes place in new zealand where the maori people of a small village claim descent from the whale rider, paikea.
The movie freedom riders by pbs and the book the struggle for black equality, 19541992 by harvard sitkoff introduction one of the most comprehensive dramatic documentaries that focused on the history of the civil rights movement is the film produced by pbs, entitled freedom riders. But kahu trying to prove to her koro that she can be a leader even if she is a female is a strong representation of what this book is about. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of whale rider by witi ihimaera. The whale rider by witi ihimaera, jay lagaaia, audiobook. The whale in this context of whangara takes on the mythical origins of the taniwha but also serves as a lineage to paikeas mythological escape story. Leadership styles observed in whale rider dannette allen. The biggest whale, the founder of maori culture, has a special relationship with the whale rider, a young man who sits upon its back. Create your own storyboard using the template on the next page. Set against the coming of christianity, this is the story of the last hero. Heres where youll find analysis about the book as a whole, from the major themes and ideas to. Since whale rider is set in new zealand and the story is about a maori tribe, a lot of the words used are traditional maori words, making it a. In the end each clan on the outlying coasts beyond the whaleroad had to yield to him and begin to pay tribute the sea sail road seglrad.
The first greatgrandchild of the whanau, she was loved by all her relatives except the one whose love she needed mosther greatgrandfather. In every generation for over 1,000 years, a male heir born to the chief succeeds to the title. By tradition, the leader should be the firstborn son a direct patrilineal descendant of paikea, aka kahutia te rangi in the book, the whale rider he who rode on top of a whale from hawaiki. Witi ihimaera was the first maori to publish both a book of short stories and a novel, and has published many notable novels and collections of short stories. By tradition, the leader should be the firstborn son a. Pai is being raised by her loving grandparents, koro and nanny flowers rawiri paratene and vicky haughton. As mentioned before, this relationship has clear evidence from past sections of the book and even receives explicit mention from rawiri. The story of whale rider is about pai, a girl descended from paikea, the mythical ancestor of ngati konohi hapu sub tribe who live in whangara on the east coast of new zealand. This film actually tried to depict the civil rights movement. Whale rider arrives in theaters already proven as one of the great audiencegrabbers of recent years. Whale rider 7 leader to understand that change requires a new mindset and pai demonstrates this extraordinarily well in the movie. Whale rider summary supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.
The whale rider quotes showing 18 of 8 he loved them deeply, but sometimes love becomes a power game between the ambitions that parents have for their children and the ambitions that children have for themselves. The song of a whale calls through deep water as the huge mammal swims far. Only 120 pages long, its a richly layered story dealing with several major social issues. First published in 1987 in new zealandthe authors homeland as well as. Unfortunately her twin brother, who was supposed to be the chief of her village, died at birth and her grandfather did not want her because of her being a girl. Since whale rider is set in new zealand and the story is about a maori tribe, a lot of the words used are traditional maori words, making it a little tricky to follow along. The whale rider the films plot follows the story of paikea apirana paiin the book, her name is kahu, short for kahutia te rangi, a 12yearold girl who is the only living child in the line of the tribes chiefly succession following the death of her twin brother and mother when she was born. The biggest whale, the founder of maori culture, has a special relationship with. You are in for a bit of an emotional rollercoaster with whale rider.
Oct 28, 2017 how characterisation builds up the story in the whale rider saturday october 28 2017 lucy kamau takes a look at koro apirana, kahu and nani flowers in witi ihamaeras book. Pai also embodies many of the five minds that gardner 2008 outlines in his book. In the book, our narrator from the beginning is a different rawiri. Directed and written by niki caro, the film is based on witi ihimaeras novel the whale rider. It would take some pretty powerful words to make something like that happen but those are exactly the kind of words that make up whale rider. The module consists of teachers notes and a handout with background information that you can copy and give to your students. Only males are allowed to ascend to chiefdom in a maori tribe in new zealand. Summary lines 301709 page 1 page 2 interestingly, up until this point of the poem, beowulf s decision to come to hrothgars aid has been described by the narrator as a heroic act of beowulf s own deciding rather than an act of obligation or a payment of debt.
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