Film Comparative

Maori People of New Zealand vs. Western Australian Aboriginals

During our film study in English, we viewed two outstanding movies

- 'Rabbit-Proof Fence' and 'Whale Rider'. Rabbit-Proof Fence, the first

movie we watched, is about the real journey of three half-cast girls,

living in Western Australia where they were captured, sent to a

confinement camp, which they escaped to travel home to their families.

The second movie, Whale Rider, is a completely different story about the

chief of Ngati Konohi and his struggle to find an heir, his eyes seem

closed to the best possible heir, his first born granddaughter- Paika, until

she proves herself worthy. These cultures may be assumed to be the

same, since they are both aboriginals living in the same side of the word,

but these two films say otherwise. In this essay, the similarities and

difference will be explored in further detail.

In both of the films family is quite a big deal and a very important

aspect of daily life. Rabbit-Proof Fence displays the type of Family love

which is needed to survive. On the other hand, in Whale Rider, family love

can be found even when it doesn't seem to be there at all. In Rabbit-

Proof Fence, the Aboriginals/Half-Casts have almost nothing but eachother,

and they haveto stick together in order to survive and with that create a

tight bond with their family members, and value them a lot. On the other

hand, the Maori People rely on their family for love and support, so family

is very valuable and displayed to be so as well. An example of how family

is valued with the children of the Western Australian people is shown in

the movie when Molly, her cousin and her sister are send to a internment

camp they immidietly escape to go back to their family. The camp

provided the nourishment they needed as well

and shelter, clothes

and a few luxuries that they wouldn't find if they went home, but

they gave that all up for family. The people of New Zealand, were

always displaying family love, for example, when Koro became angry

with Paika, he didn't stop fulfilling his grandfatherly duties. Also,

around the same time frame, when Paika was presenting a School

presentation and she passed wind by accident and everyone laughed,

Koro stopped their laughter and told her to continue, the next day he

also defended her against a boy that made fun of her. These two

cultures value family in different ways but hold the concept close to

their heart. This comparison may be viewed as similar or different

according to the examples, but they can easily be compared.

Whale Rider and Rabbit-Proof Fence both have a similar view

on how gender-roles should occur in their society. In the first movie,

Rabbit-Proof Fence, women are depicted as having a lower status by

the British Colonialists. And in the