essy

One of the most interesting events in life is the interactions and conflicts between the newer and older generations. A little girl Pai is shown to be a challenge to traditions. The movie Whale Rider directed by Niki Caro shows us how Pai struggles in some ways like by her challenge to the stereotypes of women of becoming a leader in her own culture. This begins with the birth of the fraternal twins with the grandfather, Koro patiently waiting for the birth of the son, unfortunately only the girl survives and she is named Pai. Koro seems to be distraught about the death of the boy and felt disappointed about Pai surviving and the boy could have been the possible new leader of the tribe. He believes that being a leader of the tribe is mainly suited for men because he is old fashioned and believes in the old traditions. Pai holds on to her determination that lift her up to show her grandfather that she can do anything; Her success from all her hard work helps her achieved the grandfather’s approval and helps Koro to  see  that there is a room for change.
 Pai is treated differently by his grandfather, Koro. Pai is a stubborn, strong and determined young girl. She narrates her thoughts, feelings and emotions throughout the movie. She does not often listen to her family and obey orders. However she respects her own culture and customs and she proudly embraces them. When Koro takes a ceremony to celebrate the opening of his new boys’ school, Pai attends the event and takes a seat in front of the row seats. Her grandfather with his strong beliefs and traditions that girls should sit at the back and she should move immediately but Pai ignores everything her grandfather tells her and she refuses to movie and stay put. Koro raises his voice at Pai and tells her to either move or leave, so she leaves. This shows that Pai stays strong and she can stand up for herself and by doing that is a good sign of a great leader. Koro is teaching activities to young boys in order for them to learn to become a leader one day. Pai is not accepted and she was not allowed to learn. Pai would spy on them and copy what they do, at least she learns a little bit from their activities just by imitating them. She can do exactly the same thing what Koro wanted the boys to do. This shows her determination to prove herself and to please her grandfather. Pai can do better than the boys’ Koro teaches. A boy goes at the back to go get something to drink but instead he sees Pai spying on them. He tells her that if Koro finds out about her spying, she will get in so much trouble. He looks at her hand and she is holding a fighting stick and he says she can’t even hold it right. She summons the boy to fight her with his fighting stick, she stands up exactly in the way they were thought to the boys’ just by watching and she overpowers the boy and leaving him in shock. Koro finds out that she defeated the boy and he becomes outraged. He makes her apologize over and over because he thinks that it was a very unnatural and disrespectful thing for a girl to do. This shows her she can do better than the boys and she gives us a potential that she can be a great leader one day.
Pai has excellent abilities and skills that could be a good sign for her to be a great new leader of the Maori tribe.