Newspaper Article

'Rider' a winning tribal tale

ELEANOR RINGEL GILLESPIE

2003

Overview

\"Whale Rider\" begins --- as do a disquieting number of child- centric stories --- with the death of a mother. Protagonist Pai's ([Keisha Castle-Hughes]) mother dies giving birth to her and her twin brother, who also dies. Pai's grandfather, Koro (Rawiri Paratene), the leader of their tribe, quickly makes it clear he cares more about his dead grandson than his live granddaughter. \"A girl is no use to me,\" he says. A dozen years later, Pai is everything a leader should be --- bright, resourceful, capable, unafraid and fascinated by her tribal heritage. She's also a girl, and that makes everything else beside the point. Ignoring the true heir under his nose, Koro gathers the village's oldest sons and teaches them tribal lore, from chants to martial arts, so he can choose a new leader. But Pai is not to be deterred and, as the title implies, her destiny arrives from the sea. Photo In \"Whale Rider,\" the courageous and resourceful Pai (Keisha Castle- Hughes) is dismissed as a potential tribal leader because of her gender./ Newmarket Films

• Publisher: Atlanta Journal Constitution, LLC
• Subject: Caro, Niki / Motion pictures / Whale Rider