“Traditions are important in a preservation of culture context, but can they hinder progress or change?” ( Faisthuber, 2019). Should culture remain static, or be adaptable with each new generation? Pai shows that their community should adapt and accept her as a leader, accept that she had trained her whole life to step into that leadership position, even though she is female.
Leadership styles differ within this film. Poko held firm to “tradition” which meant following a patriarchal system of leadership. Pai held onto “tradition” too, but she also knew that one did not have to be male in order to be a leader. Pai instinctively understood, and accepted, the mantle of leadership within her iwi, even if her Koro did not realize that he and her Nanny Flowers taught her everything she needed to know about leading their iwi.
Now what?
In the end, Poko finally understands that the leader he was looking for was under his nose the whole time. He understood that he kept pushing her away, and yet Pai stood firm and lead the way of her cultural traditions. She led her generation with mutual understanding and compassion (i.e., supporting Hemi when his father did not make enough time to be with him), and she was the glue that kept her family together with her constant support of both her father and her grandfather, even in the face of their micro-aggressive behaviour of not believing in her just because of her gender. So, in the future we will be open to change, to progression, because we cannot be stagnant and stuck within our “traditions” without being innovative, or accepting the progression of future generations.
This film encouraged the need to constantly learn. Pai took on learning Taiaha on her own, and when that was denied her, she asked for help from both Hemi and her uncle Rawiri. She showed that she was ready to dive into the next task, or to welcome community members in the pōwhiri. We, as professionals, need to be ready to learn from our peers, our students, and other professionals. We need to be open to our professional development occurring in traditional and non-traditional spaces.
Critical Analysis of Whale Rider 