Taiaha

Many voyages that heroin’s encounter are regularly identified with the four mythical functions. In the film, Whale Rider, through mythical creation powers, the hero endeavors to save her dying culture. The creation myths power permits the courageous woman, Pai, to find her actual calling as a real leader of the Maori tribe. By utilizing the myths, she dynamically finds her legend 's adventure by breaking down the images throughout her life. "According to Campbell as discussed in Indick article, this

outcome of the film seems quite unprecedented at first, Director Caro conceals many clues regarding the ending for the audience to discover. She does this through the use of camera angles, dialogue and props, notably through the use of the rope, the Taiaha and the Rei Puta. Furthermore, while making links to certain scenes in the movie, Niki Caro has hidden life lessons and morals regarding discrimination, prejudice and leadership that the audience can closely relate to and learn from. Firstly, an

uncle Rawiri once had won a taiaha tournament and later she sends Pai to live with the uncle. She makes Koro wait for Pai, so she and Pai can say the Karanga (welcome call) for the boys entereing the Marae (community meeting area) She saves the rei puta (whale tooth), which Pai previously recovered, and later gives it to Koro. Rawiri changes from feeling powerless (lazy, drug user) to regain his skills in the use of taiaha (fighting stick) and he teaches Pai to use a taiaha. Hemi is sympathetic towards

such as; the camera shots and camera angles when Pai is giving her speech to Koro, the use of camera angles and props in relation to the dialogue when Pai if fixing the motorboat engine, and the use of props when Pai is teaching herself to use the Taiaha.   The use of camera shots and camera angles while she is giving her speech to Koro, helps to show Pai's important attributes which are necessary for a good leader. One of these shots is the low angle while Pai is giving her speech. Low angles are

of this inequality was females could not become chief. As Paikea was a female, she was unable to be chief; even though she could match the boys physically and mentally. This inequality was displayed when Paikea was yelled at by Koro for using the Taiaha; a sacred object that all the other boys training could use. “You don’t mess with sacred things!” Koro screamed at Paikea, confessing his feelings about her becoming chief. Overall, Paikea really struggled with this lack of equality but eventually

The second scene that shows Pai’s intelligence is when she notices that Koro is teaching the boys how to fight using the maori fighting art of taiaha, she cleverly persuaded her Uncle Rawiri to train her whereas others would have simply given up. These are both great examples of how Pai’s individual strength is much more important than gender stereotypes. The second example that I will be examining

sacred object that is symbolic of the power of the chief. Throughout the duration of the movie, Koro is charged with the safekeeping of the tooth. However, at the conclusion of the film, Paikea is seen wearing it around her neck. In addition, the taiaha is considered a sacred weapon. In fact, it is so sacred that girls are not allowed to handle it. When Paikea is caught playing with the staff, Koro becomes enraged with her, as it was seen as an act of

Despite Koro’s rejection for her to join the boys, Paikea asked her 2nd uncle to teach her the Taiaha and secretly learned the chant that Koro teach the boys, which the chief could only use. The Taiaha was only for the boys to learn in combat and it is done in the meeting hall, which is the most sacred place in the village. All of Paikea’s actions in the meeting hall tainted the Tapu of the place

things and achieving her dreams. He forbids her from learning the taiaha and sitting at the front of the group for the opening of the new marae, where he would teach the first-born boys old skills and lessons from when he was young, and from before he was born. When he catches Paikea several times outside the school, he grows angry and yells at her for ‘breaking the tapu’ of the school. Paikea fights one of Koro’s students, Hemi with a taiaha and wins, but Koro overlooks it, filled with rage at the fact

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. It's a story about a young Maori girl, Paikea Apirana that's born into the chief line along with a twin brother. With her twin brother dying moments after birth, only Paikea was left to fulfil the role of heir, though Koro, the current chief and Pai's grandpa refuses as does their culture and religion. Throughout the film