The release of Prince Caspian in theaters, as with The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe before it, has once again presented the opportunity of using modern film to teach elements of the Christian faith. It is a tactic that seems to have value within the entertainment driven cultural context in which churches minister today. Oddly, one of the best films that I have seen in recent years, a film which really gets at the heart of the challenge facing contemporary Christianity, is not a “Christian film” at all.

Whale Rider is a film adaptation of Witi Ihimaera’s book of the same title. It is one of the rare instances where a film surpasses the book upon which it is based. Though not widely seen, its greatest impact was, perhaps, the discovery of Keisha Castle-Hughes, who would later go on to play the Virgin Mary in The Nativity Story.

In addressing the contemporary struggles facing indigenous Pacific Islander cultures, few films are as accurate in their stark portrayal of the challenges. Central to the conflict is the tense interplay between holding on to one’s cultural identity while at the same time embracing modern culture. Can the embrace of modernism be done without giving up one’s own identity?

Whale Rider is the story of a young Maori girl, Paikea (played by Keisha Castle-Hughes), who is born into a chiefly family. Her twin brother, as the first born male, was to be the great hope for a people who have lost their way. But he dies at birth and with him dies the hope of the people. The grandfather blames Paikea and for much of the film devastatingly takes out his anger at his tribe’s collapse on the young girl, who despite being a violator of cultural taboo by being a girl, seems to be the only one in the film who genuinely shows a love for Maori tradition.

The film reaches its powerful climax beginning with a tearful speech that Paikea makes about her place within the tradition. She reaches back within the tradition to discover a “third way” to try to break the stalemate between traditional and modern culture, but even then the struggle does not completely end.

The challenge of Pacific Islander cultures to maintain their identity in the face of encroaching modernism is not unique. Many of the issues faced by the contemporary church have their roots in this same conflict. To watch another culture come to terms with the struggle is beneficial. Although the challenges faced are similar, they do not carry with them the baggage of personal attachment, and, as such, perhaps individuals can begin to see beyond the personal rhetoric and strive together for a church that embraces her traditional heritage, but engages the world on modern terms.