Brother Vellies . Lilo takes hula lessons, Nani surfs and the dialogue contains Hawaiian slang. 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 . In the 2019 live-action remake, the lyrics were once again changed, this time to "Where you wander among every culture and tongue / It's chaotic, but hey, it's home.". "Because of the photo-real nature of the film, having too broad of a comedic take on the hyenas felt inconsistent with what we were doing.". "Because you can not kiss someone if they're sleeping! The voice cast isnt Peruvian, nor Latino, nor indigenous. . "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. (This is a linguistic score for Disney--the Kenai people belong to the Tanaina tribe, and her name symbolizes that Tahana is the essence of her people.) The film grossed $250 million against a $46 million budget. "[11] After the filmmakers heard his audition tapes for Finding Nemo, Jeremy Suarez was cast as Koda. For Lavalier and many others, the origin of the term spirit animal is unclear. Its too anachronistic to be taken as a serious attempt at cultural representation. I will address this point in the next section.) Disney made its name adapting famous European stories. India has a ton of filmmakers already and a huge demographic. As we meet Kenai, his two elder brothers have already received their totem spirit helpers from Tahana. March 21, 2017. The Jungle Book was Disneys first feature-length adventure outside of Europe and the United-States. Mulan was played by a Chinese-American actress. 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a message was included ahead of classic movies like "Dumbo," and "Peter Pan," warning that the movies "may include outdated cultural depictions.". "[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". 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. The protagonist, a human youth who finds himself transformed into a grizzly, is named Kenai. What is cultural appropriation? Cultural appropriation refers to the use of objects or elements of a non-dominant culture in a way that reinforces stereotypes or contributes to oppression and doesn't respect their original meaning or give credit to their source. ", Disney replaced the first half of those lyrics in all future versions of the movie after facing backlash from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, but refused to cut, "It's barbaric, but hey, it's home.". 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. "The hyenas had to change a lot," said Jon Favreau in Disney's press notes for the new movie. Of course, the former is a much larger portion . In nearly every American Indian culture, the bear is right up there with the eagle, the buffalo and other creatures as the most powerful of animal spirit helpers. The old shaman is Tanana (mispronounced, at least in the usual Alaska sense, as Ta-NA-na). (As we will see, the representation of other cultures is often regarded as a form of cultural appropriation. Aladdin was Disneys first attempt at a non-European folktale. Ollie Millington / Getty Images. 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. Cultural appropriation affects the soul of people, a sense of their inherent value, and it also affects their pockets, their capacity to rise above their circumstances through the fair rewarding . In the halls of academia, discourse regarding cultural appropriation arose in the late 1970s, sparked by the publication of Edward Said 's famous book "Orientalism.". Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Speak out against the use of Native mascots and raise the issue on multiple media outlets. All American Indian medicine ceremonies are also preceded by a purification ritual, the purpose of which is to invoke humbleness. It is based on the famous Arabic tale set in Arabic China. At first glance, it appears that this is a harmless act. Adding a new wrinkle to the conversation is Bruno Mars, whose unmistakable references to funk, R&B, and New Jack Swing in his art have long sparked whispers of appropriation and lawsuits over . Moana takes inspiration from Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and Tahiti. It is important to understand, however, that there is a difference between appreciation and appropriation . The central question posed at the beginning of "Beauty and the Beast's" opening monologue is, "Who could ever learn to love a beast?". Look for much more on American Indian medicine powers to come. So when I see people dressed as Indians on Halloween, I can't just have a good time. 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. 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.". Historically, deciding exactly what culture is hasn't been easy. Voiced by Christopher Walken, he forgoes any jive associations and is much more menacing towards Mowgli. The lead crow is even named Jim Crow in an obvious reference to the racist Southern segregation laws that lasted until the mid-1960s. People are belittling and mocking my spirituality with their faux feather headdresses.". It is set approximately 2000 years ago. It features sailboats, coconuts, palm trees, pigs, chickens and tattoos. Brother Bear is a 2003 American animated musical fantasy comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures.The 44th Disney animated feature film, it was directed by Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker (in their feature directorial debuts) and produced by Chuck Williams, from a screenplay written by Tab Murphy, Lorne Cameron, David Hoselton, and the . With their bucked teeth, slanted eyes, and stereotypical East Asian accents, they're racist caricatures. [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. Other schools have since opted in, including the University of Colorado Boulder, the University . Disney transposed the story to Jazz Age New Orleans and added voodoo magic and bayous. The story is an original folktale, but Maui is a famous character in Polynesian mythology. To understand why there is such a huge divergence on the perception of Keziah wearing a qipao to prom, and why Keziah's behavior is indeed cultural appreciation rather than cultural appropriation, we first need to examine qipao itself. As in The Jungle Book, the animals reflect the local fauna, but not the local culture. "[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. These errors are not only imprecise, but they are counter-productive, divisive, and downright dangerous. They make a deal: Kenai will escort Koda to an annual salmon run and then the cub will lead Kenai to the mountain. Eventually, Kenai and Koda reach the salmon run, where a large number of bears live as a family, including the leader Tug. I dont see why Tiana needed an obscenely rich white friend. But Ariel literally does just that in 1989's "The Little Mermaid," showcasing an unhealthy view of relationships and romance to young women in particular. It is partially a documentary and the rest is humorous. [19], Brother Bear was originally slated for a spring 2004 release, while Home on the Range was scheduled for a 2003 release. Tribal. He gets caught in a trap, but is freed by an outgoing bear cub named Koda. "Noticeably marked by their ethnically coded 'street' accents, the hyenas blatantly symbolize racist and anti-Semitic stereotypes of 'verminous' groups that form a threat to society.". It was a bit of a disappointment, because I [usually] write songs that I sing myself. The film stars the voices of Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Suarez, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, Jason Raize (in his only film role), and D.B. 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. Not offensive, but then again, the tribe portrayed in the movie isn't mine. A trio of brothers, Kenai, the youngest; Denahi, the middle; and Sitka, the eldest, return to their tribe in order for Kenai to receive his totem, necklaces in the shapes of different animals. 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. Mulan takes a famous Chinese legend and turns it into the most awesome Disney movie ever. 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. I think cultural appropriation is a load of baloney, based on the most persistent errors in political/social thought: abstraction errors - misunderstanding the relationship between people and labels, between aggregates and concretes. Downhearted, Kenai confesses the truth to Koda, who runs away, grief-stricken that Kenai was responsible for his mother's death out of avenging Sitka. This one-note, demeaning depiction of Native Americans, as well as the cultural appropriation at play, would likely be cut by today's standards. The Princess and the Frog is inspired by a European fairy tale called The Frog Prince. 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 real pinnacle is that I'm playing an animated character in a Disney film. Well, think again. 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. Additional vocals by Patrick Pinney, Bob Bergen, Rodger Bumpass, Roger Rose, Debi Derryberry, Randy Crenshaw, Phil Proctor, John Schwab, Bill Farmer, Pamela Adlon, Hope Levy, and Sherry Lynn. The performance was then arranged by score co-composers Collins and Mark Mancina, and vocal arranger Eddie Jobson. For the parade, the song had slightly changed lyrics and was performed by an ensemble. With the recent news of a "Pinocchio" live-action remake moving forward, it's likely that these two plot points will be modernized. It also includes the unauthorized use of parts of their culture (their dress, dance, etc.) Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. After Sitka's funeral, an enraged Kenai blames the bear for Sitka's death. Take the characters in Walt Disney Pictures' new animated feature. By: David Marcus. However, since Snow White is unconscious and essentially dead during the scene, this kiss could be viewed as non-consensual and an act of assault. While riding on the backs of a mammoth herd, Koda reveals that his mother is missing. 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 . Matt Sayles/Invision, via Associated Press. On the negative side, Disney can be accused of cultural appropriation as they make a profit off selling other peoples stories and culture. In that sense, every person in the tribe is a shaman in his or her own right. The Lion King is a story inspired by Hamlet, but with animals from the Serengeti national park in northern Tanzania. The cast doesnt feature any Indian or Indian-American voice actors though, and the cultural context remains generic for most of the film. The character Jim Crow was also troublingly voiced by a white actor (Cliff Edwards). August 26, 2015 11:10 AM EDT. The company's platform . The cats' entrance is even marked by the sound of a gong. This type of cultural appropriation is a form of dehumanization. The concept of an ape wanting to be like a human is innocent enough, but the movie's use of Louie becomes more concerning when viewers realize that the character and his subjects are the only characters who speak in jive slang. [5], As is typical for animation voice acting, Suarez and Phoenix voiced their roles separately, although they both did a recording session together at least two times. In 1994's "The Lion King," Scar's accomplices are three hyenas Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. The Emperors New Groove does for pre-Colombian Peru what Hercules did for Ancient Greece. Tahana reveals that his spirit helper is the bear. In this form they can wreck havoc with their enemies and have additional skills at hunting as well. Moya-Smith explains, "In my culture, elders have to earn the right to wear a headdress. [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. In nearly every American Indian culture, the bear is right up there with the eagle, the buffalo and other creatures as the most powerful of . Mouse, tells him to drink a barrel of alcohol that he thought was water. Theres a song performed by a Bulgarian choir using Yupik lyrics written by an Alaskan professor. A direct-to-video sequel, Brother Bear 2, was released on August 29, 2006. The local shaman disagrees with this action, and transforms the brother into a bear. "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. [21] On July 15, 2003, Disney announced that the release date would be moved up by one weekend from its previously scheduled slot of November 7, 2003. The voice actors were American and African-American. I will go over the movies that either take place outside the United-States or focus on minorities of the United-States (but I will skip Songs of the South!). When Tahana calls for him, Kenai's childish dream is to get a power stronger than either of them. [8] Because Blaise desired a more naturalistic story, Blaise and producer Chuck Williams produced a two-page treatment of a father-son story in which the son is transformed into a bear, and in the end, remains a bear. 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. [27], The film was released in a Blu-ray special edition combined with its sequel, Brother Bear 2, on March 12, 2013.[28]. It defends the present day colonial mindset that believes it . Best. What Chuck Berry Taught Us About Cultural Appropriation. This fact applies only to more recent times. On the positive side, Disney can shine their spotlight on various countries and cultures, depict diverse people and ideas, and promote openness and understanding. 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. One major criticism Keziah received was that she profaned the dress by wearing it to a party. Words: 2401 Pages: 8 5490. The voice actors are white. King and Ray . You might be familiar with the Disney theme park ride "Splash Mountain" or the song "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah." Both animals get drunk in a controversial moment that involved dancing pink elephants. 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. [10], In March 2001, Joaquin Phoenix confirmed he was cast in the film, exclaiming, "Oh, but forget the Oscar nomination (for Gladiator). The DVD release consisted of two separate discs, which were both THX-certified. The score builds at just the right times and knows when to lead the audience to a more somber feeling. To fully understand its consequences, though, we need to make sure we have a working definition of culture itself. When it comes to cultural portrayal, Disney has to walk the line between representation and appropriation. bow", "Brother Bear / Brother Bear 2 (3-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray / DVD] (2013)", "FILM REVIEW; To a Grizzly, Humans Are the Hairy Monsters", "Nothing Scary About Brother Bear's Roaring Start", "An Elf and a Bear Trip Up the Final 'Matrix', "O Brother Bear, Where Art Thou? "[35] Kenneth Turan, reviewing for the Los Angeles Times, complimented "the richness and fluidity of its visuals" and the "satisfying ending", but derided that "Brother Bear has an appeal that can't be denied. [8], After the project was green-lit, Blaise, Walker, and the story artists embarked on a research trip in August 1999 to visit Alaska where they traveled on the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and Kodiak Island. The term "cultural appropriation" has been used to describe everything from makeup and hairstyles to tattoos, clothing and even food and wellness practices. The killing of George Floyd also forced many sport teams that utilize Native American heritage to review that . There's a big difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. I would love to see Disney make a movie set in India with human characters. The actress playing Lilo is from Oregon. As a result, it effectively erases their historical actions and paints a whitewashed picture of some of the darkest moments in American history. The Simpsons veteran Pete Michels was to helm the series and was allowed to watch a copy of the film so that he could construct a pilot. As George Chesterton writes for GQ, "If we can only exist in and guard the cultures we emerged from, from those we resemble, we will shrink into the superficiality of newly contrived tribes . The do's, don'ts, maybes, and I-don't-knows of cultural appropriation. [5] Around 2000, the story evolved into a tale in which the transformed Kenai is taken in by an older bear, Grizz, who was to be voiced by Michael Clarke Duncan. Your email address will not be published. It was not only black musicians who appreciated Elvis. Brother Bear follows an Alaska native boy named Kenai as he pursues a bear and kills it, but the Spirits, incensed by this unnecessary death, change Kenai into a bear himself as punishment. 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. A solution to mitigate those risks is to hire consultants from the concerned groups, or better yet, hire creators from the concerned groups and let them tell the stories they want to tell. Cultural assimilation is the process in which a minority group or culture comes to resemble a dominant group or assume the values, behaviors, and beliefs of another group. It focuses on the continued adventures of bear brothers Kenai and Koda. "From a very early age, we're conflating queerness and gender expression outside of the binary with evil and villainy, especially with no counterpoints due to the total lack of positive and canonical queerness in children's media," argues YouTuber Rowan Ellis in her video essay"Why Are Disney Villains Gay/Queer? The last brother, thinking the bear had killed his second brother, attempts to kill the newly transformed bear to avenge both of his brother's deaths. Some even argue that Belle is showing signs of Stockholm Syndrome, in which hostage victims develop feelings of trust or affection toward their captors. Yes, powerful shamans who could cure were rare, but the use of medicine powers was not. There are many different types of tribal art, including Celtic, Iban, Mayan, and Aztec deities. 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." The terminology we find amongst proponents of cultural appropriation - "homage", "borrowing", and "sharing" - centers the desires of those who take artistic expression for profit. In 1956, Presley was introduced to 9,000 black Memphians at radio station WDIA's Goodwill Ball. 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. brother bear cultural appropriation. Disney's Brother Bear games were released in November 2003 for Game Boy Advance, PC and mobile phones. It seems unlikely that Disney would show children drinking in one of their new releases today, but older animated films depict exactly that. Cultural appropriation is the adoption of certain elements from another culture without the consent of people who belong to that culture.
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