The Metanarrative
In the film the Whale Rider, the once complimentary narratives that governed the Maori culture: Gender, Identity, and Traditions are competing against one another. The fundamental elements of these narratives have stayed unchanged; However, some characters are interpreting these liturgies to their own personal narratives, causing conflict within the Maori Culture.
Synopsis of film
During a time of modernization, poverty, and the decentralization of the Maori’s culture, one local leader (Koro) looked upon “hope” in a form of a prophet. According to ancient myth, the oldest male descendant of Paikea is the tribe leader that will centralize the community again around sacred traditions. Porourangi is the successor of his generation …show more content…
The tradition narrative is a metanarrative that seeks to govern all other narratives below and within (69). The threads that fabricated this narrative were the Maori 's origin story of Paikea, their sacred traditions and places: Marae, their patriarchal society, and symbols.
The Maori has a rich, strong history that can be described as a thread, that has been thickening in layers and resistance since Paikea and passed down orally and physically. The thicken thread has become a rope and it symbolizes the strength of the Maori; however, when the rope shattered in the film after the Maori people "together" tried to pull the whale back in the ocean, it foreshadowed the Maori people weakening, members have been unraveling from tradition. The whales that were beached symbolized the Maori culture, also foreshadowing that the culture may die. Pai got the whales back in the ocean, almost sacrificing her life. She “sewed” the loose unraveling threads back to the rope so the Maori people and culture can be strong enough to continue moving forward in times of
In the film the Whale Rider, the once complimentary narratives that governed the Maori culture: Gender, Identity, and Traditions are competing against one another. The fundamental elements of these narratives have stayed unchanged; However, some characters are interpreting these liturgies to their own personal narratives, causing conflict within the Maori Culture.
Synopsis of film
During a time of modernization, poverty, and the decentralization of the Maori’s culture, one local leader (Koro) looked upon “hope” in a form of a prophet. According to ancient myth, the oldest male descendant of Paikea is the tribe leader that will centralize the community again around sacred traditions. Porourangi is the successor of his generation …show more content…
The tradition narrative is a metanarrative that seeks to govern all other narratives below and within (69). The threads that fabricated this narrative were the Maori 's origin story of Paikea, their sacred traditions and places: Marae, their patriarchal society, and symbols.
The Maori has a rich, strong history that can be described as a thread, that has been thickening in layers and resistance since Paikea and passed down orally and physically. The thicken thread has become a rope and it symbolizes the strength of the Maori; however, when the rope shattered in the film after the Maori people "together" tried to pull the whale back in the ocean, it foreshadowed the Maori people weakening, members have been unraveling from tradition. The whales that were beached symbolized the Maori culture, also foreshadowing that the culture may die. Pai got the whales back in the ocean, almost sacrificing her life. She “sewed” the loose unraveling threads back to the rope so the Maori people and culture can be strong enough to continue moving forward in times of