We have viewed this film, Whale Rider, through the following social constructs:
Social construct #1 – Sex
Males and females have different roles in the Maori culture.
Social construct #2 – Culture
The film is centred around cultural traditions.
Social construct #3 – Ethnicity
Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand.
Social construct #4 – Race
Porourangi’s new German girlfriend.
Social construct #5 – gender
Pai appeared female within the film, however she took on the masculine traits of her culture. So…
Discussion Question:
…Would Paikea have identified with being a ‘girl’?
Intersectionality
Intersectionality, the term originally coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, is the interactivity of social identity structures such as race, class, and gender in fostering life experiences, especially experiences of privilege and oppression. Everyone is positioned at the intersection of multiple social identity structures, and subject to multiple social advantages and disadvantages (Gopaldas, 2013).
Paikea’s sex intersects with her patriarchal culture
- Cultural norms are preventing Pai, as a girl, to be the next Chief.
Paikea’s dad’s sex intersects with their culture as well
- Paikea’s dad – gender and culture, he feels the pressure as first-born son to have a son to take over leadership of their community.
- Paikea takes double blame for being a girl and for her dad not wanting to be a leader.
- Her dad was supposed to be the leader but did not accept the responsibility. Paikea wants the responsibility but she is not supposed to have it.
Critical Analysis of Whale Rider 