Setting and Signifiers

Our analysis of a few shots from Whale Rider

The signifiers on here of the empty hills, power poles and letterboxes all point to rural New Zealand. These are all things which carry connotations of quiet countryside and the ‘boring’ aspects of that. However, the blue sky and lush green bushes also make this appear an attractive place too. Paikea is very small in this long shot, this emphasises how quiet and isolated this place was, and Paikea within it.

This is inside the wharenui, the main house on the marae in Whangara. This is significant as it shows the place where chiefs and leaders have met for generations. Porourangi is important in this as he didn’t accept that he should be chief, and he looks a bit out of place here, too sophisticated and uncomfortable. The carvings and patterns on the wall in here are signifiers of Maori tradition, particularly the ancestors of Ngati Porou. People do not wear shoes into a wharenui because of the tradition that they are inside the belly of an ancestor.

This is inside Nanny Flowers and Koro’s house. It is old fashioned and a bit run down, the carpet and curtains are faded and dated looking, their prints are very 1970s. The living and dining room look a bit cramped and lonely, with their dim lighting. This place tells us about Koro and Nanny Flowers, and that Paikea grew up in a very traditional and old fashioned environment.

The green grass and empty hills in the background signify that this is a rural area. There are a few scraggly pine trees and old cars; they are not flash but older and a bit rough. The marae looks simple, without a fancy gate or entrance way, only a few people on the paipai, and Koro’s pose emphasises how old he is. This sets up the scene on the marae as one of decline and decay. It is old-fashioned and not modern or wealthy.

It looks like morning or evening because of the colour of the sky.The beach is empty except for one boat with a few people around it. This emphasises the space and the isolation of the area.There is a rounded hill in the background that is at the end of the beach in Whangara.This is an extreme long shot, that sets the scene of the empty beach.