Whale Rider (2002)

Paikea

Te Reo Māori [Maori language]:
"humpback whale"

Maori mythology:
"name assumed by Kahutia-te-rangi (Maori tribe: Ngāti Porou ancestor)
as a memorial of the assistance he received from the whale that saved him from his brother – Ruatapu's evil doings".

– Haami (2006)

Kaumātua

Koroua // Koro

Te Reo Māori:
"Elder, grandfather"

Maori society:
"serve as leaders & keepers of knowledge of
tribal traditions, heritage, & ceremonial rites and rituals".

–  Higgins & Meredith (2011a)

'Whale Rider'

is a story of lineage and traditions; of an elder's plight in attempting to save his tribe and it's culture from eroding further (either due to urbanization or cultural assimilation), & how the saviour of the tribe comes in the unconventional form of a girl.  Though having a simple plot line, & a somewhat predictable story progression, this movie depicts many underlying themes that do occur in small, conventional societies which are ruled by tradition and ancestral teachings.

Of Culture, Tradition & Heritage

Polynesian culture has a very rich history, & the expansion and dispersion of its tribes was due to the fact that the Polynesians were strong sea voyagers and excellent navigators.  Though a very shallow depiction, the movie Moana gives viewers a brief summary of the history of these people.

Walt Disney Animation Studios (2016)

It is no surprise that the myths from this extensive culture and it's tribes have been the basis of many novels and/or movies, because there is so much to choose from ... but whether or not the representation is accurate leaves room for debate seeing as there are variations in some of their more obscure legends as these stories are passed down through generations by word of mouth.

In the Maori tribe of New Zealand, each person has a role to play & some of them were gender specific, i.e. selection of the next chief.  The reason why Koro was so fixated on a male heir is because it is a part of their tradition, not so much of sexism as is depicted in the movie due to the lack of elaboration behind Koro's choice of words.

Koro telling Pai to sit at the back.

Though misleading, Koro instructed Pai to do because his focus would be on training the first-born sons to be the next chiefs.  Traditionally, the Maori tribe prioritizes primogeniture of the eldest son – "aho ariki", when selecting the next chief .  First-born females – "ariki tapairu", had the ranking equivalent of a princess/queen in the tribe, & although they were not eligible to be the leaders (i.e. chief) of their tribe, they did have other ceremonial duties to perform.  This explains why Koro waited for Maka (Pai's grandmother) to before commencing the lesson, & also why there are female elders present.

Maka & Pai performing karanga – first cry of welcome onto the marae

The purpose of the karanga is to make the marae [courtyard] tapu [sacred], as Maori women's voices were believed to have mana [authority; psychic powers] which protects visitors (Higgins & Meredith, 2011b).

The taiaha not only serves as a traditional Maori weapon, but it was also a "status symbol and treasure ... and not used by ordinary members of a war party", which also explains Koro reaction when he caught Hemi teaching Pai how to use it, & also subsequently why he said what he said when he caught Pai defeating Hemi with the taiaha on the marae.

"You don't mess around with sacred things!"
– Koro Apirana

"It's broken!"
– Koro Apirana

Eventually towards the end of the movie when Koro is presented proof from the ancestors that Pai is meant to lead them (through Pai riding Paikea's whale & getting the rest of the pod back into the water on her own), that he finally acknowledges & accepts that Pai's birth didn't break the chain back to the ancestors, but rather she is the change that will strengthen the ties & link between her people and her ancestors instead.  It took her literally embodying the legend of their ancestor Paikea, riding atop a whale, in order for Koro to be convinced.

Foreshadowing scene symbolizing how Pai is meant to lead her people

"Weave together the threads of Paikea, so that our line remains strong"
– Koro Apirana

The solution to his plight was right there in front of him, & all he needed to do was to accept it instead of clinging on to the knowledge of the ancestral ways.  However, in his defense, as the Kaumātua he had a duty to uphold the traditions and teachings that have been passed down since his ancestors.  Little did he know if he had only given Pai a chance & be willing to look past the fact that she was female, he would have seen signs that she was the one who would weave the broken threads of her people & restrengthen the line.

The ending of the movie was done in full splendor, showcasing (what I'm assuming to be because I cannot find any information on this) one of the many ceremonies that the Maori tribe has.  Pai's father's waka [canoe] is completed & looks completely different than before.  The people have gathered on the beach to watch the festivities.  Haka is being performed, along with a rowing chant towards the end with Pai leading the rowers.

---

– Extras –

Despair & Depression

[Shaughnessy & Shepherd, 2016]

Portrayed through Koro, who hoped that he would succeed in his duty of nurturing the next chief.  Viewers are able to see him gradually spiral downward, especially after he staked his hope on one of the boys passing the final test by retrieving his rei puta [prized ornament/jewellery: whale-tooth neck ornament] (Haami, 2006).  When the boys turned up empty handed, you can see the hope drain from his face & he proceeds to go home & mope.  He doesn't get out of bed for the next few days, indicating the possible onset of depression due to his lack of motivation to do anything.

Cognitive Dissonance

[Ciccarelli & White, 2014]

Very straightforward portrayal & evident in Pai's narration as the movie begins.  Koro initially didn't want anything to do with Pai because he only cared about her brother as he was to be the next chief of the tribe.  However, he still dotes on her by fetching her to & from school everyday for years.  His dissonance rears it's head off & on again throughout the movie, with another key scene showing his dissonance is the fact that he finally got out of bed & got dressed to go see her perform at her school's concert even though he was probably the reason behind why she had to move out temporarily.

Though late, Koro dressed & leaving for the concert

– End –

References

Barnett, J., Hübner, F., & Sanders, T. (Producers), & Caro, N. (Director). (2002). Whale rider [Motion picture]. New Zealand: South Pacific Pictures.

Ciccarelli, S. K., & White, J. N. (2014). Psychology (4th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education. 

Haami, B. (2006). Te whānau puha – Whales: Whales and Māori voyaging. In Te Ara - The encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved from http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/te-whanau-puha-whales/page-2

Higgins, R. (2011). Te mana o te wāhine – Māori women: Waiata, karanga and whaikōrero. In The encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved from http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/te-mana-o-te-wahine-maori-women/page-4

Higgins, R., & Meredith, P. (2011). Kaumātua – Māori elders. In Te Ara - The encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved from http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/kaumatua-maori-elders

Shaughnessy, M., & Sheperd, J. (2016). Despair. In Salem press encyclopedia of health. Retrieved from Ebscohost database

Strong, A. (2006, May). The Maori people and their legal system. Retrieved from http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Academic/Course_Pages/legal_systems_very_different_06/final_papers_06/Maori/Maori.html#fnB106

Walt Disney Animation Studios. (2016, September 15). Moana Official Trailer [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKFuXETZUsI

Strictly Ballroom (1992)

Social Dance

"category of dances that serve a social purpose or occur in a social setting; generally intended for socializing/participation rather than performance"
- Wallace et. al (1986)

'Strictly Ballroom'

Why ballroom dancing?  Because it was initially adapted from folk dance and intended to only be used as a social dance for the wealthy and privileged.  They were held in ballrooms [i.e. translated from Latin: 'ballare room'], hence the name ballroom dancing, and such social events would have very strict etiquette (Wallace et. al, 1986).

Though modern day dance is viewed as an art form and a form of self-expression and creativity, traditional ballroom dance in the past was rigid, dictated by a lengthy rules of conduct for both males and females, and were by no means "fun" or "entertaining".  In fact, it was against the rules to act in an informal manner (e.g. laughing boisterously or talking noisily), and the act of dancing with another person required that both parties must be formally introduced or have been formally introduced prior before the male (leader) is allowed to ask the female (follower) [Wallace et. al, 1986).

Even looking now at modern ballroom dancing, not much has changed since way back then.  There is still the same rigidity, formality, & leader-follower style it has always had, & a great ballroom dancer is usually defined by the accuracy of the technique.  With every other essence or aspect of the art culture, there has been some form of innovation, improvement and/or evolution throughout the years (at least to my knowledge), giving birth to the diversified beautiful different forms of things we call "art" in modern times.

---

Traditional Ballroom

   v.s.

Paso Doble

Traditional Ballroom

As I've pointed out above, ballroom dancing is about formality, tradition; sticking to the same set of steps as it's not meant to be a form of entertainment — it's not meant to be a crowd-pleaser.
As can be seen at the beginning of the movie when the characters are introduced: the fussing with their outfits & positioning, & when they started dancing their movements mirrored each others.

Hence, why it was such a big hoo-ha when Scott did this:

He was freestyling, dancing his own steps and going all out.  The reactions towards his unconventional dancing, if taken out of context, sounds as though he has committed a horrible crime.

"I kept asking myself why...  Did I do something wrong?  Did I fail him as a mother?
In front of Barry Fife..."

- Shirley Hastings

"What the bloody hell is going on Kendall?"
- Federation President Barry Fife

"It is true that Scott & Liz became what we term boxed in or blocked.
But it was no excuse for what Scott did."
- Les Kendall

"He resorted to his own flashy, crowd-pleasing steps"
- Les Kendall

"He forced me into it.
Where the man goes the lady must follow, I had no choice."
- Liz Holt

"Get away from me...  I'm not dancing with you till you dance like you're supposed to!"
- Liz Holt

Three days later when Scott tries to ask everyone what they thought of his dance steps, the replies given were of blind obedience, as though they've been brainwashed to not think of anything else because 'someone said it's wrong' (someone being the "experts" — perceived authority figure).

"I don't think! I don't give a shit about them we lost!"
- Liz Holt

"I don't know, you didn't win did ya."
- Wayne Burns

Social norms and peer pressure can be very strong influences on a person's behaviour, as the prospect of not adhering to such "rules" leads to being social rejection, i.e. outcast by the members of the social group.  Humans are social creatures & have an innate tendency to want to feel a sense of belonging, also because from an evolutionary perspective being a part of a group entails safety & security.  There are many other factors that play a role in determining how we act in different social contexts, but ultimately our end behaviours can be categorized into 3 forms: conformity, compliance, & obedience (Cicarrelli & White, 2014).

Throughout the entire movie Scott's father, Mr. Hastings is constantly mistreated: pushed around, ignored, bullied even... essentially outcast by the group [social rejection] because he chose to dance his own steps & refused to conform to following conventional ballroom dancing.

With literally everyone around him telling him that his steps were "wrong", there is a strong pressure to conform with the group, which in this movie Scott's social group revolves around competitive ballroom dancing [social group identity].  Towards the end, because of a lie told to him by Barry Fife, he complied with the wishes of everyone around him — to dance the "correct" way because he thought he doing something noble by winning the title for his father who walked the same path.

---

Paso Doble

The Paso Doble has a very interesting history.  It is actually a form of light Spanish music, which further down the road, was adopted into the bullfighting ring where the matador's movements became the "steps" for the Paso Doble dance.  Unfortunately, I have been unable to find reliable sources on this, though there is a consensus on all the websites I've looked through so far.
For further reading: http://www.wikidancesport.com/wiki/42/paso-doble

The Paso Doble dance is aggressive, & fast-paced, like those of the matador's during a bullfight.  Because of how the movements are choreographed, the Paso Doble requires a large open space for movement & is danced competitively and almost never for socially.  During a "highlight" in the music (points of emphasis in the tune), a trick is supposed to be perform.  The general description & progression of the Paso Doble in my opinion sounds like it was meant to be and entertaining performance, one that please the crowd.  Thus from what I can gather, the Paso Doble dance, although also considered as one of the ballroom dancing styles, is like the binary opposite of the other styles when danced in it's traditional way because of the nature of it's movement.

Enters Fran.  At first glance the audience can already tell that she fits the archetype of the unassuming character who comes in & influences the main character to do the right thing in the end — the heroine to some extent.

It is through Fran that Scott learns how to dance the Paso Doble the "right" way: from the people who grew up in the culture, not the so-called "experts" who have watered it down to fit the conventional ballroom dancing rules & regulation (assumption of what director wishes to portray).  Even back then, ballroom dancing is thought to have originated & adapted from folk dance (Wallace et. al, 1986).

When Scott first meets Fran's family, he was proud & overly confident in his knowledge of the Paso Doble.  When he performs it with Fran, it noticeably lacks the power, & pride that Fran's father [Rico] exudes off in waves; the fiery passion and commanding air that he displays, the level of precision with every confident step of his feet.
Note how Scott's initial cockiness quickly dissolves into one of eagerness to learn after he is humbled by Rico.
Note the obvious skepticism on Rico's face when Scott claims he can dance the Paso Doble & how it changes into one of mirth seeing what a joke their Paso Doble is, then to a focused gaze of intense concentration, alluding to the seasoned veteran that he is as he demonstrates what a true Paso Doble is.

Simple in the portrayal of something meaningful, Scott learns to dance from his heart & not his head from Fran's family.  The look of pure euphoria & gradual liberation on his face, as though he has finally found the answer he had been looking for, is one I can only guess to be of that when having a peak experience (Cicarelli & White, 2014).  For once he isn't dancing for someone else or to please others, he is dancing for himself because he wants, the fire of passion within him has now been revived.  The gradual build up to that moment is something that majority of audiences cannot help but to mirror his joy as they feel it swell up in their own chest & briefly flashback to moments where they might have had a similar experience of pure bliss.

Through learning the Paso Doble in it's raw form, Scott also learns to break free from the binds of conventional ballroom dancing.  He has also learned to do what he feels is right, & to not let others tell him otherwise.

---

Though straightforward in it's plot & having a cliché storyline where good ultimately triumphs over evil, the utilization of dance as the medium in which to portray social influences provides simplicity and yet also depth to how we choose to understand it.  You may choose to take it at it's face value & still get the gist of it, or you can choose to delve deep in order to fully appreciate the complexity behind this seemingly simple plot.  By understanding the history of ballroom dancing, it adds some insight towards possible underlying themes & additional interpretations to each scene.

My take away from this movie is do the things you love & your passion will always shine through, never be afraid of change & to learn from it/others, and of course how can I forget:

"Vivir con miedo es como vivir a medias"

References

Ciccarelli, S. K., & White, J. N. (2014). Psychology (4th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education.

Miall, T., & Albert, A. (Producers), & Luhrmann, B. (Director). (1992). Strictly ballroom [Motion picture]. Australia: M&A Productions.

Wallace, C. M., McDonagh D., Druesedow, J. L., Libin, L., & Old, C. (1986). Dance: A very social history. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Eat Drink Man Woman 饮食男女 (1994)

*THIS POST CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS*

Please watch the movie before reading,
it looses so much impact if you already know what's coming.

"Eat drink, man woman.Food & sex
Basic human desires.  Can't avoid them!"

- Mr. Chu

'Eat Drink Man Woman' [飲食男女]

It's been roughly a week & this film still has me speechless, not because there is nothing to pick & emphasize on, but the fact that there are just too many things to talk about.  The story starts off gradually & seems very unassuming, but as it progresses suddenly you realize you were actually sitting on a raft going down a rapid river with twists, turns and whirls you did not expect and cannot see coming.  Some of the plot twists are bigger than others but either way if you had your guard down (like I did), & expected this to be another typical movie about family, you'd be left reeling and in disbelief at the end of it (I'm still in awe of Ang Lee's brilliant storytelling).

---

Upon rewatching the movie, there were actually signs that Mr. Chu & Jin-Rong were secretly seeing each other.  Though very brief, certain lines said hinted towards more. 

CLUE #1:

Mr. Chu is preparing the usual Sunday dinner when someone calls him.  He instructs the person on how to prepare a fish, & advises not to roast it.  Who is the person on the other end of the line?

"If we don't talk about it today, then when will we wait until to talk about it?"

- Mr. Chu

It was actually Jin-Rong, which also explains why she and her daughter showed up at the house after dinner.  And guess what?  She burned the fish they were suppose to eat.  Mr. Chu & Jin-Rong might have planned on talking about their relationship that night because she asks where he is.

Jin-Rong & Shan Shan arrive at the Chu family home after Mr. Chu has to leave because of an emergency at work.

---

CLUE #2:

Mr. Chu's care & concern towards Shan Shan.
He goes out of his way to make her lunch and walks her to school.  When her mother makes her lunch, he will finish all the food that Jin-Rong makes, which cannot be easy, since it is established that she is a bad cook.

---

This "secret" agreement that Mr. Chu has with Shan Shan then leads up to this moment": 

CLUE #3:

Jin-Rong informing Mr. Chu that Shan Shan isn't feeling well & would not be going to school

"Is something wrong?  Is the detective...?"

- Mr. Chu

Look how they seem to glance around nervously a few times as though they're being watched, & how their interaction seems more bashful than normal.  Jin-Rong's soon-to-be ex-husband hired a private detective to follow her in order to get custody over Shan Shan, but why would they need to be concerned over this unless they had something to hide?

---

The biggest clue of all for me would have to be the fact that:

CLUE #4: 

He puts up with the dreadful in-law from hell, the person that everyone else avoids and/or tolerates: Mrs. Liang.

"Do you mind if I smoke?"
- Mrs. Liang

He puts up with her incessant complaining & smoking.

You can even see him cringe when she touches him.

If that isn't love then I don't know what is.

"Old witch."

- Jia-Chien

"...what a nightmare she is."

- Jia-Chien

& I couldn't agree more 🙄
*shudders*

---

Here are a few things that I liked about the movie:

Communicating Through Food

"We communicate through eating."
- Jia-Chien

Food seems to be the main way Mr. Chu communicates his love to his daughters, besides insisting on doing their laundry for them.  Every Sunday he will cook an extravagant family dinner, & it serves as a platform for them make 'announcements' about major events in each of their lives.

Though seemingly small at first, the story starts to take it's twists & turns with each announcement made, living viewers completely thrown as Jia-Ning's shotgun marriage & Jia-Jen's rushed marriage act as the one-two punch, with Mr. Chu's relationship with Jia-Rong as the knock out punch.

Though probably not as dramatic as Mrs. Liang's reaction or the same choice of words,
her reaction mirrors what I imagined was everyone else's reactions

---

Jia-Chien's Selflessness

Out of the 3 sisters, she is the one who actually cares for her father the most.  Despite being the first to declare that she'll move out, in the end she is the last to do so.

Jia-Chien finally being able to cook in her own house now that she is the only one living in it.

With everything that has happened, she declines her job promotion to Amsterdam just to stay behind to take care of her father as she was under the impression that his health was declining.

"Whoosh, suddenly everything's gone."
- Jia-Chien

You can imagine the heartbreak she must have felt when her worries were for nothing, & that she could've proceeded with her plan to go to Amsterdam instead of staying behind for her father who did not need her.

She reflects my experience as the middle child, always having to be responsible & to have to work for what you want while the oldest acts willfully & the youngest is pampered.  Hence, I can definitely empathize with her.

In the end she does proceed to Amsterdam, so I guess she's gotten her own happy ending.

---

Mr. Chu & Jia-Chien

I quite enjoyed their dynamics.  Despite having what seems to be a distant relationship, Jia-Chien is definitely the closest to her father.

Jia-Chien accompanying Mr. Chu upon Uncle Wen's passing

A reversal of roles, comparing their first and last interaction in the movie.

 

They still banter and argue with each other, but it lacks the underlying discontent that it used to.

The movie ends with the two of them

I still don't full understand the meaning behind this anti-climatic & odd ending though.  Is this what Ang Lee's original idea was, to tell the story between this father-daughter duo, & that everything else that occurred were just sub-plots to make things interesting?
Jia-Chien does resemble her mother the most, so is this some form of "reunion"?

---

Uncle Wen's Passing

In the beginning we find out that his sense of taste is deteriorating.  As a result, his cooking is affected, but he is only willing to admit it to his good old friend Uncle Wen.

"My sense of taste is getting worse & worse,
every time I cook I have to judge my food based on your facial expressions."

- Mr. Chu

It isn't until Uncle Wen's abrupt passing that he finally admits it to Jia-Chien, refusing to drink his favourite tea.

"My sense of taste is dead."
- Mr. Chu

Mr. Chu's words are like a metaphor for the death of his dear friend and probably his career as well, as he relies heavily on Uncle Wen to cook .  Subsequently, he feels indifferent towards what he eats or drinks, be it his favourite tea or plain water, as everything would only be bland to him.  Losing Uncle Wen is akin to losing his passion for life.


Though in the end, his sense of taste did return after drinking the soup Jia-Chien made following her mother's recipe.  Miracle maybe?

---

- Extras -

Takeaways:

Don't go for your friend's boyfriend.  Just don't.

Jia-Ning feeling guilty as her friend cries over her "heartbreak"

If you push a women too far, she's gonna push back harder & with a more dramatic flare

Jia-Jen's epic makeover

The one thing that distinguishes people living together & a family, is that family members worry about each other.

"Family members who live under the same roof can still lead their own lives,
but worry that comes from the heart is what makes a family."

- Mr. Chu

And though life may get you down sometimes & things may not go your way, just grab a good friend & you'll be able to laugh & stumble your way through any obstacle that comes your way 😏

*Fade to Black*

References

Hsu, L. K., & Hsu, K. (Producers), & Lee, A. (Director). (1994). Eat drink man woman [Motion picture]. Taiwan: The Samuel Goldwyn Company.