WHALE RIDER
1. For me Paikea represents a female counter-stereoptype two ways. Firstly, she’s not the typical little girl that we see in “male gaze” movies. You never see her with other girls her age and there is little childlikeness to her. In the end of the movie you see why but in the beginning this represents a counter-stereotype: the lack of levity and mirth that you see in female children her age. Secondly, and my interpretation may be wrong here, she doesn’t seem to be what your typical “female gaze” protagonist would be personality wise. I think that goes back to my preconceived notions about how a feminist should behave. She has this quite, stoic calmness to her. Whereas, I would imagine that someone that was tasked with challenging a male propagated ideal would be more in your face, loud righteous. However, after reading Rubaiyat Hossain’s article, I come to realise again I need to step outside of my own epistemology that “there is a specific currency in which the female film director's gaze behind the camera must translate reality”. Hossain’s article identifies that there isn’t just “one feminist ideology or vision but that there is a “way of seeing” that defines the female voice in movies. Whether its owning sexuality, or going against social norms or in the case of Whale Rider’s protagonist regardless of her sex she can be what her people need, the female voice is all encompassing. Paikea knows that her grandfather, Koro, will not accept her as the chief but she also knows it’s her calling. She does what she can in the circumstances proving quietly that she can be chief regardless of how she was born.
2. Whale Rider’s message is clear: no matter what your gender, if you believe you can do it, you can. As I was watching the movie I found myself entranced by the character’s (as well as the actress who played this role incredibly well) calm. Her acceptance of her grandfather’s churlish demeanor regarding her sex amazed me because I wasn’t sure if it was a matter of naivety on her part or a maturity beyond her years to continue to love him regardless of his views. The more I think about it, I believe Paikea had this unwavering love for her grandfather because of her own father’s absence in her life. She had to prove to Koro that she was worth loving. I don’t think that there were any gendered expectations for Paikea. The only expectation was that she stay away from the chieftain exercises because she wasn’t a boy. During the opening ceremony Koro would not allow her to sit in the front row because of this fact. As well when she was using the sticks to fight the boy, Koro would not listen to the fact that she was just defending herself. “What have you done... Do you know what you’ve done. You’ve broken the tapoo of this school.” Even after this, Paikea still persists and finally proves to her grandfather that she IS the person to lead the tribe.
3. Whale Rider personified counter-cinema in its organic feel. There wasn’t the overacted flashy Hollywood blockbuster emotion. The independent label on a film usually guarantees a well thought out realistic view of a situation or event. Hollywood tends to endorse films not based on merit but which starlet can be convinced to play the lead role or which director can helm the project. With Whale Rider, Niki Caro was able to tell a story through the female gaze with emphasis on the emotion on the characters faces. The shots were either close up, when Karo was teaching the boys the stance the close up of his face was arresting in the power, or panoramic shots of the scenery that were also as arresting in the beauty of it. There wasn’t an objectification or over romanticised feel that the film could/would have taken if it was seen through the male gaze. This was a story about a girl that was trying to prove herself. There was no underlying romance that a commercial movie would have taken to satiate what they believe is a female’s want in a film.
