Who Is Pai Caro´s Whale Rider?

In the fictional film “Whale Rider,” directed by Niki Caro in 2002, Paikea “Pai” Apirana tries to become the first female Maori tribe leader. Pai’s descent meant that she was heir apparent to the chief, but her traditional minded grandfather - Koro, trained males at his school so one of them could inherit that role instead. Pai outperformed Koro’s students when challenged, and proved that she deserved to be the next chief. Through the use of literary techniques and cinematic tools, a story is created in which Pai shows that an underdog can accomplish great things, which teaches the viewer that following traditions can be illogical, and unfair.
Koro’s students failed to complete tasks and had disinclined attitudes, in contrast to Pai’s success and enthusiasm, as they acted as foil characters to her. This was evident when Pai defeated Hemu, a student, in …show more content…
A long shot showed Pai’s uncle demonstrating fighting moves with a broom, as she mimicked him from behind. This framing technique compared their fighting moves, which showed that Pai could skillfully execute the moves, despite females being supposedly unable to do so in the Maori tradition. This moment suggests that if someone tries to achieve something, it can be achieved regardless of appearance or perceived competence.
Adhering to the Maori tradition made Koro feel irrationally upset during an ending scene. Low key lighting is used to show Koro in a small, dark space, begging for help when his students failed his final task to become the next chief. The dark lighting made it clear that Koro felt confused, and lost, due to his tradition giving him the false perception that nobody else could be the next chief, because they don’t consider females eligible. This scene epitomizes why one should be open minded, because more options and possibilities are available to people who are open