The Maori are a people with a long tradition going back generations... starting with the "whale rider" who brought his people to the island they live on now, descended up through the current chief. But the chief's first born son has moved away and abandoned Maori principles. And when his wife has a child, it is a girl. The chief must turn to outside his family to find a suitable new chief while his granddaughter is ready, willing and able.
I watched this movie with my friend Chelsea and we looked at it from two very different angles. She sees it as a break from tradition, a new generation adapting the old principles to their own culture. A new world where a woman is capable of being chief. And I certainly see that as the primary story, where the young girl is subjected to torment from her grandfather (who is loving but comes across as a cruel, inhuman beast at times).
But I also tried to put myself in the chief's shoes. Was he a misogynist? Perhaps, though I don't think so. He had the weight of tradition on his shoulders, he had an entire race of people depending on him to keep the lineage intact and culture strong. And he firmly believed that this was how the elders wanted things to be. Compare this to many Christian religions that have only male elders -- while the followers may be accepting of women (and outsiders strongly encourage their acceptance) when your deity tells you to do things a certain way, what choice do you have? Granted, the chief should have seen the signs, but tradition is strong.
Did the young actress deserve an Oscar nomination for this film? It's debatable. The film was pretty good, and her acting was pretty phenomenal for someone so young. Sure, she didn't do her on swimming scenes, but she produced the tears and those stoic looks. And, as I couldn't stop noticing, she definitely deserved an Oscar for "best hair". (It's interesting to notice all the islanders are very native-looking, but she looks glamorous even as a child).
For a story of a people who must abandon tradition and accept the new order, this is pretty good. And being the Maori, it's especially powerful. Fewer and fewer native peoples are retaining their traditions, so it's both welcoming and sad to see one of the last hangers-on experience a paradigm shift.
I watched this movie with my friend Chelsea and we looked at it from two very different angles. She sees it as a break from tradition, a new generation adapting the old principles to their own culture. A new world where a woman is capable of being chief. And I certainly see that as the primary story, where the young girl is subjected to torment from her grandfather (who is loving but comes across as a cruel, inhuman beast at times).
But I also tried to put myself in the chief's shoes. Was he a misogynist? Perhaps, though I don't think so. He had the weight of tradition on his shoulders, he had an entire race of people depending on him to keep the lineage intact and culture strong. And he firmly believed that this was how the elders wanted things to be. Compare this to many Christian religions that have only male elders -- while the followers may be accepting of women (and outsiders strongly encourage their acceptance) when your deity tells you to do things a certain way, what choice do you have? Granted, the chief should have seen the signs, but tradition is strong.
Did the young actress deserve an Oscar nomination for this film? It's debatable. The film was pretty good, and her acting was pretty phenomenal for someone so young. Sure, she didn't do her on swimming scenes, but she produced the tears and those stoic looks. And, as I couldn't stop noticing, she definitely deserved an Oscar for "best hair". (It's interesting to notice all the islanders are very native-looking, but she looks glamorous even as a child).
For a story of a people who must abandon tradition and accept the new order, this is pretty good. And being the Maori, it's especially powerful. Fewer and fewer native peoples are retaining their traditions, so it's both welcoming and sad to see one of the last hangers-on experience a paradigm shift.