Whale Rider

The Maori have a term called the Koka. A Koha is a gift of the heart and is usually something of great value. Writer / Director Niki Caro has introduced the world to her greatest Koha, Whale Rider.

Whale Rider tells the story of a young girl and her struggle to ascend to her ancestral right as the leader of the Maori community, even when every part of her culture tries to push her back down into place.

Keisha Castle-Hughes plays Paikea “Pai” Apirana, the daughter of a long line of Maori chiefs. Her mother dies while giving birth to her and her still-birthed twin brother. Her father, the first-born son and heir to become the next chief leaves the Maori life, leaving her to be raised by her grandfather. Her grandfather, a strong man steeped in the tradition of the Maori culture, refuses to believe or accept that Pai is the true leader of the Maori people. As he moves forward in training the other boys around her, she continually upstages them all, proving over and over again that she is the next great leader.

The movie is touching and delivered with passion and enthusiasm. Keisha Castle-Hughes deserves strong accolades for her performance in this film. The strength of her character shines, and is a powerful inspiration. The cultural aspects of this film make it meaningful as more than just a depiction of a girl standing up for herself. It places you into the thick of the culture in which she lived. Without this knowledge, the film would hopelessly flop around looking for purpose and meaning. But the culture is never so overwhelming that it disorients the audience. Each practice is given significance by the characters through a wonderfully adapted screenplay.

The cinematography is excellent, and the scenes with the beached whales is touching and uncommon. The pain of the event is moving to a degree not achieved in many films, and done completely within the action of the characters and the motion of the camera; a true testament to the artist vision of the director and cinematographer, Leon Narbey.

This is a must-see for anybody with a daughter, as it will teach her that it is possible to overcome the great societal pressure still holding a thumb on many young women, even in western culture.