Essay About Rabbit-Proof Fence And Whale Rider

Film Comparative
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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 doesnt 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 wouldnt 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 didnt 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