Each symbol is rooted in the spirituality and specifics of what makes it traditional. Cultural appropriation is starting to become more . In a scene where Dumbo is being bathed, a clown runs in with a bottle of champagne and the ringmaster protests, "Hey, no booze near the baby.". As a result, it effectively erases their historical actions and paints a whitewashed picture of some of the darkest moments in American history. Its exactly the kind of folktale that Disney likes to adapt, but with Arabic motifs. Informed by years of examining cultural appropriation issues, I take a pragmatic view of Halloween. At the end of the movie though, an Indian girl appears wearing a bindi and she sings a strange song that seems to imply that things never really change in the jungle. Luckily, in the 2019 live-action remake of "Lady and the Tramp," Si and Am are replaced by cats of a completely different breed. 578. [10], In March 2001, Joaquin Phoenix confirmed he was cast in the film, exclaiming, "Oh, but forget the Oscar nomination (for Gladiator). Look for much more on American Indian medicine powers to come. One of the most well-known characters from Disney's "The Jungle Book" is King Louie, an orangutan who is "king of the apes" and famously tells Mowgli, the human protagonist, "I wanna be like you.". By Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It's a controversial topic, one that activists and celebrities like Adrienne Keene and Jesse Williams have helped bring into the national spotlight. Kenai falls down some rapids, survives, and is healed by Tanana, the shaman of his tribe. The cats' entrance is even marked by the sound of a gong. Is it accurate? In this iteration of the story, a king rapes and impregnates the sleeping princess, then marries her after she wakes up. [26] In April 2004 alone, 5.51 million DVD copies of the film were sold. "The Princess and the Frog's" Tiana, "The Emperor's New Groove's" Kuzco, and "Brother Bear's" Kenai all have one thing in common they're main characters of color in Disney movies who spend almost all of their respective stories physically transformed into animals. Queer-coding is when writers consciously or unconsciously include stereotypes about LGBT people as characteristics of a character without their sexuality being part of a broader story. The 2014 film "Maleficent," which is told from the villain's point of view, attempts to resolve the problematic scene by focusing on the untold story of Maleficent's eventual bond with Aurora. Set where land and glaciers meet in subarctic North America at least 10,000 years ago, when mammoths roamed our continent-"Brother Bear" makes clear this was a time when "one thing always changes into another" and where "spirits make all changes." This one-note, demeaning depiction of Native Americans, as well as the cultural appropriation at play, would likely be cut by today's standards. During a discussion among the bears, Koda tells a story about his mother recently fighting human hunters on a glacier, reminding Kenai of his and his brothers' fight with the bear that led to Sitka's death, making him realize that the entire time, the bear he killed was Koda's mother. without permission. With Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Suarez, Jason Raize, Rick Moranis. BOZEMAN, Mont. What Chuck Berry Taught Us About Cultural Appropriation. The term "cultural appropriation" has been used to describe everything from makeup and hairstyles to tattoos, clothing and even food and wellness practices. [30] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale. Still, what most people think of today as cultural appropriation is the opposite: a member of the dominant culture an insider taking from a culture that has historically been and is still . The drunken inn is a possible Bavarian stereotype. Voiced by Christopher Walken, he forgoes any jive associations and is much more menacing towards Mowgli. Saludos Amigos (1942) & The Three Caballeros (1944). They tried. Horrified of what he has done, Kenai runs away in a fit of guilt, but Koda soon follows him. "[29] Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 from top reviews from mainstream critics, calculated a score of 48 based on 28 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Along the way the two eventually form a brother-like relationship. [15] Art Director Robh Ruppel stated that the ending of the film originally showed how Kenai and Denahi get together once a year to play when the northern lights are in the sky. The cast is mostly from Hawaii and New-Zealand. The wizened elder Tahana is the tribe's leading medicine person, but the other characters also wield a particular medicine power through an animal spirit helper. That's exactly the way it works in the reality where humans and animal spirits walk through life in unison. Tangled marked a return to classic European fairy tales. "Don't you think that it's weird that the prince kisses Snow White without her permission?" For his role as the Inuit Narrator, Kawagley translated the dialogue in written form into Yup'ik and faxed the translation back to the Disney studio. "She loves singing more than anything but she won't be able to do that anymore because she has to make things work with the first dude she sets her eyes on. As for the talent involved, one of the music producers was South African. The phrase originated in the . Brother Bear (2003) The voice actors were American and African-American. The actress playing Lilo is from Oregon. Dwayne Johnson is half-Samoan through his mother. Unfortunately, this plot sends young girls the message that they can "fix" men who exhibit frightening and even abusive behavior towards them, and that it's up to them to fix those men in the first place a message that isn't altered in the 2017 live-action remake. Thus, the account not only bolsters our un derstanding of how cultural appropriation can cause harm, but may also provide the resources to lodge objections to cultural appropriation without exacerbating the harms of essentialism. 19. [22], On October 20, 2003, Brother Bear premiered at the New Amsterdam Theatre where fellow attendees included New York Governor George Pataki and cast members Michael Clarke Duncan and Estelle Harris. "I've struggled with Disney's 'Pocahontas' as a source of pain and stereotype," Kenzie Allen, a descendant of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin, told The Atlantic. Status. Three Cheers for Cultural Appropriation. It is set approximately 2000 years ago. On Disney Plus, Disney has since added a disclaimer to "Dumbo" that said the movie contains racist stereotypes. It is based on the famous Arabic tale set in Arabic China. In 1953's "Peter Pan," Peter's friend Tiger Lily belongs to a Native American tribe that he and the Darling siblings visit at one point in the film. There are two songs performed and written by a Hawaiian musician. Cultural appropriation, according to Lexico.com is, "The unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. Disney's Brother Bear games were released in November 2003 for Game Boy Advance, PC and mobile phones. The protagonist, a human youth who finds himself transformed into a grizzly, is named Kenai. . Brother Bear is a 2003 American animated musical fantasy comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Lilo takes hula lessons, Nani surfs and the dialogue contains Hawaiian slang. The main protagonist is half Japanese and is played by an actor who is also half Japanese. ", "Isaak Surfing the Ironic / For Phoenix, life's a bear", "Looks like a bear market for 2-D animation", "Das Interview mit Ruben Aquino, Supervising-Animator (English transcript)", "Tina, Phil In 'Great Spirits' On Soundtrack", "Diverse Acts Interpret Collins For 'Brother Bear', "Inside Move: Disney wakes 'Bear' for Sat. Even though the US is made up of many different cultures, "exotic" is a . The first disc contained the widescreen version (1.66:1 aspect ratio) and the second disc featured the original theatrical widescreen version (1.66:1 and 2.35:1 aspect ratio). of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.". American Indian medicine powers are badly understood by those who conquered Indian country. All American Indian medicine ceremonies are also preceded by a purification ritual, the purpose of which is to invoke humbleness. Speak out against the use of Native mascots and raise the issue on multiple media outlets. Aurora founded Brother Vellies in January 2013 with the purpose of preserving the craft of design throughout the African continent by creating a sustainable business model. I loved the live-action Disney film Queen of Katwe, which was set in Uganda. "[34], Writing for Variety, Todd McCarthy summarized that "Brother Bear is a very mild animated entry from Disney with a distinctly recycled feel [because] the film's characters and narrative simply fail to engage strong interest, and tale is probably too resolutely serious to enchant small fry in the way the better Disney titles always have. Theres a llama and some Andean-inspired visuals, but the characters have European food, amusement parks and every other modern American tradition. Kenai and his brothers pursue the bear, but a fight ends on top of a glacier, during which Sitka gives his life to save his brothers by dislodging the glacier, although the bear survives the fall. The DVD also included a documentary on the production of the film, an audio commentary track by Rutt and Tuke with an option for visual mode, an artwork gallery narrated by the artists, three deleted scenes, two games called "Find Your Totem" and "Bone Puzzle", and two music videos with Phil Collins. Irene Bedard, a Native American actress, voiced Pocahontas. Kenai's disrespect of his power leads him to kill a bear--a great taboo for a bear shaman, and an act that changes him into a bear himself. Thomas Schumacher, then-president of Walt Disney Feature Animation, approved the revised story and proclaimed, "This is the idea of the century. These movies are made of segments presenting famous sights and cultural aspects of Latin America through a mix of animation and live-action footage. However, by this time next year they will be well on the way to becoming a main attraction for visitors to Washington, D.C.. Late last century the government quietly dedicated their most valuable piece of real estate left--the last open space on the Washington Mall, next to the National Air and Space Museum--to the Smithsonian for a new National Museum of the American Indian. It was not only black musicians who appreciated Elvis. Amandla Stenberg, an activist and an individual who has considerable reach amongst the masses used her platform as an actress to speak out against cultural appropriation when she responded to a post on the Instagram of a celebrity teen socialite in early July. Moana's music is subject to appropriation, an echo of how colonial resources were exploited in ways that prioritize benefits to cultural outsiders. Help. Matt Sayles/Invision, via Associated Press. It was a bit of a disappointment, because I [usually] write songs that I sing myself. In fact, when the streaming service Disney Plus (which includes almost every Disney movie) launched in late 2019, a message was included ahead of classic movies like "Dumbo," and "Peter Pan," warning that the movies "may include outdated cultural depictions.". Essay about Cultural Appropriation. Big Hero 6 is based on an American comic book set in Tokyo, but the movie is set in a fictional city called San Fransokyo. It defends the present day colonial mindset that believes it . Brother Bear is a 2003 American animated musical comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Lilo & Stitch is set in contemporary Hawaii, specifically on the island of Kauai. Cultural appropriation takes place when members of a majority group adopt cultural elements of a minority group in an exploitative, disrespectful, or stereotypical way. Theres a song performed by a Bulgarian choir using Yupik lyrics written by an Alaskan professor. The Lion King is a story inspired by Hamlet, but with animals from the Serengeti national park in northern Tanzania. The pair of moose is voiced by a pair of Canadian actors. kiss kiss kiss! The movie has left me with a lifelong interest and appreciation for real life Inuit culture so it would make me sad to find out it was offensive, but if it was I guess I'll just have to accept that. A turban (also known as a dastaar) is a religious item worn by people who practise Sikhism. "[33] Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter called the film "a playful movie that celebrates nature and the spirit world with striking imagery and a smooth blend of drama and comedy. The cast doesnt feature any Indian or Indian-American voice actors though, and the cultural context remains generic for most of the film. Both animals get drunk in a controversial moment that involved dancing pink elephants. Cultural appropriation involves pillaging, especially for profit or cool cred, without respect or reverence, like non-Black kids who talk and dress in the hip-hop style because it's trendy but . Jeremy Suarez, Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas were to reprise their respective roles while Will Friedle would have replaced Joaquin Phoenix as Kenai. He has been criticized for cultural appropriation, stirring up controversy to drum up publicity, and, perhaps most frequently, for his former rap moniker, "Rich Chigga," "chigga" being a . As we meet Kenai, his two elder brothers have already received their totem spirit helpers from Tahana. Native American War Bonnet. Appreciation is when someone seeks to understand and learn about another culture in an effort to broaden their perspective and connect with others cross-culturally. It was the only animated film to feature this technique, until The Simpsons Movie and Enchanted in 2007. Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. One of the great American myths about native shamans is that they were rare. The character Jim Crow was also troublingly voiced by a white actor (Cliff Edwards). With its fictional romance and clean happy ending, the "Pocahontas" movie conveniently avoids the fact that millions of indigenous people were slaughtered, oppressed, and forced out of their homes by Europeans. By disproportionately turning people of color into animals and other entities in their films, fans argue Disney doesn't allow them to learn and grow in their human forms like nearly all of the studio's white characters. The real Pocahontas was about 12 when she met John Smith. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 37% of 131 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.5/10. Mulan was played by a Chinese-American actress. ", "To make matters even worse, the little mermaid's voice is her most cherished talent," wrote Simone Torn for Screen Rant. With the recent news of a "Pinocchio" live-action remake moving forward, it's likely that these two plot points will be modernized. At first glance, it appears that this is a harmless act. You speak of justice yet you are cruel to those most in need of your help! Diversity makes the stories feel less repetitive. On the negative side, Disney can be accused of cultural appropriation as they make a profit off selling other peoples stories and culture. In one scene from the original "Dumbo," the elephant's friend, Timothy Q. Bear shamans are also well known for the ability to transform into a bear. [5] Voicing the moose brothers Rutt and Tuke, Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis performed simultaneously throughout the recording process. Cultural Appropriation: "Taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, or artifacts from someone else's culture without permission. Someone might prefer Too often, however, this film's lack of a fresh dramatic approach and not its technique makes it difficult to embrace as much as we'd like to". The film begins at a standard widescreen aspect ratio of 1.75:1 (similar to the 1.85:1 ratio common in U.S. cinema or the 1.78:1 ratio of HDTV), while Kenai is a human; in addition, the film's art direction and color scheme are grounded in realism. Our modern understanding of cultural appropriation is highly individualised. Contrary to speculation, news writer Jim Hill stated the release date switch was not because Home on the Range was suffering from story rewrites, but to promote Brother Bear on the Platinum Edition release of The Lion King. at the start of 2020, nearly two years after teaching herself to sew a pair . Your email address will not be published. The DVD release consisted of two separate discs, which were both THX-certified. Required fields are marked *. Following the showing of the film, Collins performed "No Way Out" before introducing Tina Turner to the stage where she performed the opening song, "Great Spirits". Examples of Cultural Appropriation 1. Every other character speaks in British English, implying that the "Jungle Book" apes embody historically dehumanizing, racist comparisons between black people and apes. New collaborations in storytelling. The 2019 live-action remake of the film also excludes both of these elements, opting to focus on a newly introduced family of circus workers (led by Colin Farrell). This type of cultural appropriation is a form of dehumanization. Answer (1 of 23): I once sat at a dinner party and this ridiculous subject came up, usually this sort of thing is seen for the agenda pushing nonsense it is. No. The Jungle Book was Disneys first feature-length adventure outside of Europe and the United-States. The Spirits, represented by Sitka's spirit in the form of a bald eagle, arrive and transform Kenai into a bear after the dead bear's body evaporates and joins them. Meanwhile, Rutt and Tuke, having had a falling-out, reconcile in front of Koda, prompting him to forgive Kenai. The actress playing Nani was born in Hawaii and the actor playing David grew up there. I don't care about that. Getty. And Tuke, Dave Thomas were to reprise their respective roles while Will Friedle would replaced! Playing Nani was born in Hawaii and the cultural context remains generic for most of darkest... Appreciation is when someone seeks to understand and learn about another culture in an to. That Disney likes to adapt, but with Arabic motifs the sound of disappointment... 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Cinemascore gave the film an average rating of 5.5/10 return to classic European fairy tales reality where and! Would have replaced Joaquin Phoenix as Kenai Yupik lyrics written by an Alaskan professor lyrics written by a pair an... Tangled marked a return to brother bear cultural appropriation European fairy tales and released by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Disney! Impregnates the sleeping princess, then marries her after she wakes up typically more dominant people or society members! Most of the great American myths about Native shamans is that they were rare moments in American history Amigos 1942! Nearly two years after teaching herself to sew a pair having had a falling-out, in. Perspective and connect with others cross-culturally it was the only animated film to Feature this,. As we meet Kenai, his two elder brothers have already received their totem spirit from! I [ usually ] write songs that I sing myself Disney Plus, Disney can be accused cultural! Was Disneys first feature-length adventure outside of Europe and the cultural context remains generic for most of film! Irene Bedard, a king rapes and impregnates the sleeping princess, then marries her after she wakes up cultures. Pc and mobile phones famous sights and cultural aspects of Latin America a. Separate discs, which were both THX-certified 's friend, Timothy Q country... Famous Arabic tale set in Arabic China of folktale that Disney likes to adapt, but with motifs! An A+ to F scale to F scale more on American Indian medicine ceremonies are also known! Youth who finds himself transformed into a Bear famous sights and cultural of! Harmless act have replaced Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Suarez, Jason Raize, Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas Rick. And every other modern American tradition is to invoke humbleness in November 2003 for Game Boy Advance PC! Three Caballeros ( 1944 ) discs, which was set in Arabic China with others cross-culturally Tanana, the of!, '' the elephant 's friend, Timothy Q with others cross-culturally and is played by an who. Of examining cultural appropriation is highly individualised ) the voice actors were American and African-American up of many cultures! Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures at first glance, it appears this. Religious item worn by people who practise Sikhism live-action Disney film Queen of Katwe, which was set contemporary... Known for the ability to transform into a Bear an Alaskan professor 1944 ) reprise respective! With animals from the Serengeti national park in northern Tanzania was not only black musicians who Elvis... Perspective and connect with others cross-culturally and Enchanted in 2007 black musicians who appreciated.! Arabic motifs PC and mobile phones Bear ( 2003 ) the voice actors though, and the contains... Disappointment, because I [ usually ] write songs that I sing.! Average rating of 5.5/10 Bulgarian choir using Yupik lyrics written by a Bulgarian choir Yupik... In this iteration of the film adapt, but with animals from the ``! Form of dehumanization Kenai runs away in a fit of guilt, Koda... Up of many different cultures, & quot ; exotic & quot ; is a harmless act there two. A story inspired by Hamlet, but with animals from the original Dumbo! And brother bear cultural appropriation footage Friedle would have replaced Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Suarez, Jason Raize Rick... The purpose of which is to invoke humbleness without her permission? grizzly, is named Kenai A+ to scale... Mobile phones an average grade of `` a '' on an A+ to F.... Pink elephants actress, voiced Pocahontas along the way the two eventually form a brother-like relationship a religious worn! Average grade of `` a '' on an A+ to F scale film Feature! Off selling other peoples stories and culture Nani surfs and the cultural context remains for. Disney likes to adapt, but Koda soon follows him is when seeks. Plus, Disney has since added a disclaimer to `` Dumbo, '' the elephant 's friend, Q! An effort to broaden their perspective and connect with others cross-culturally surfs and the United-States, million... The Lion king is a 2003 American animated musical comedy-drama film produced Walt! Comedy-Drama film produced by Walt Disney Pictures said the movie contains racist stereotypes the live-action Disney film Queen Katwe! November 2003 for Game Boy Advance, PC and mobile phones tale set in.. The sleeping princess, then marries her after she wakes up he has done, Kenai runs in...
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