brother bear cultural appropriation

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. Tribal. Disney Television Animation was set to produce a television series titled Brother Bear: The Series for Disney Channel. My favorite quote from Brother Bear: "Hey baby! There's a big difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. The Princess and the Frog is inspired by a European fairy tale called The Frog Prince. We also get a specific hint about location: Kenai, the name of the film's star, is also the name of an early-known native village on the east side of Cook Inlet in southwestern Alaska. Since "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was released in 1938, the fantastical worlds of Disney's children's films have captivated generations and become a mainstay in many people's childhoods. A Beautiful Girl I Knew Became a High-Class Escort And Paid a Terrible Price. 1. Think black people being called thugs, assumed to be gang members and refused job opportunities when we wear cornrows, or even our own natural hair. [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. Speak out against the use of Native mascots and raise the issue on multiple media outlets. The crowd, waiting to see B.B. Brother Bear was the first feature since The Horse Whisperer to do a widescreen shift. This one-note, demeaning depiction of Native Americans, as well as the cultural appropriation at play, would likely be cut by today's standards. This blending of two cultures is a timely concept and a nice love letter to immigrants. 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. Luckily, in the 2019 live-action remake of "Lady and the Tramp," Si and Am are replaced by cats of a completely different breed. I don't care about that. People are belittling and mocking my spirituality with their faux feather headdresses.". Denahi arrives and, falsely believing that Kenai was killed by the bear from earlier, vows to avenge Kenai by hunting it down. In the 1937 film "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," the protagonist's love interest, Prince Florian, literally brings her back to life by kissing her. Peter and the Darlings also appropriate the tribe's culture, wearing headdresses, brandishing tomahawks, and making stereotypical "whooping" noises. Saludos Amigos (1942) & The Three Caballeros (1944). Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 20:57, Outstanding Achievement for Animated Effects in an Animated Production, Outstanding Achievement for Character Design in a Feature Production, Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production, List of Disney theatrical animated features, "These Two Talking Moose Let Their Antlers Down", "Fraternal Obligation: Disney Revisits the Animal Picture with 'Brother Bear', "Brother Bear: Production Notes About the Production", "Brother Bear: Production Notes - Nature Calls", "Why For was Michael Clarke Duncan's Grizz character cut out of Disney's "Brother Bear"? He has since responded. The film was the third and final Disney animated feature produced primarily by the Feature Animation studio at Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida; the studio was shut down in March 2004, not long after the release of this film in favor of computer animated features. The phrase originated in the . It is important to understand, however, that there is a difference between appreciation and appropriation . I must go to fetch the water / Till the day that I am grown / Then I will have a handsome husband / And a daughter of my own / And Ill send her to fetch the water / Ill be cooking in the home. Your email address will not be published. Last year, Disney showcased ancient Polynesian culture in Moana, and this year, Pixar will explore Mexican culture with Coco. But the overuse of the term obscures offenses that might actually deserve more censure . The actress playing Lilo is from Oregon. The film revolves around relationships between humans and their spirit helpers, and the beneficial magical powers derived from such relationships. CULTURAL APPROPIATION IN ROYALE HIGH!! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Disney doesnt have anything new on its horizon as of now. Most people had at least one small power. 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 . It has an American narrator and Latin American actors. Its just too bad they got Eddie Murphy to voice Mushu instead of say Jackie Chan. of cultural appropriation while eschewing the identification of cultural outsiders in individual cases. Instead of "catching" this spirit power, he is transformed into it. Her trip to England and marriage to John Rolfe are bizarrely portrayed in the direct-to-video sequel. "[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. The main protagonist is half Japanese and is played by an actor who is also half Japanese. And if they are telling other peoples stories, theres a risk that they wont portray it accurately or that it will feel inauthentic to the people concerned. The do's, don'ts, maybes, and I-don't-knows of cultural appropriation. Well, think again. She founded White Bear Moccasins in Bozeman, Mont. No. Cultural Appropriation, by some it's seen as an adoption culture being stolen away from a dominant group. One recurring theme in early Disney princess films is the power of "true love's kiss." I am content! Slowly but surely, there could be all kinds of Disney princesses: a Kazakh princess, a Korean princess, a Thai princess, an Amazonian princess, etc. The cast doesnt feature any Indian or Indian-American voice actors though, and the cultural context remains generic for most of the film. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. It seems unlikely that Disney would show children drinking in one of their new releases today, but older animated films depict exactly that. The depiction of Native American culture is homogenous and stereotypical: The characters speak in gibberish instead of an actual indigenous language, smoke excessive amounts of pipe tobacco (which they even offer to the children), and sing an offensive song called "What Made the Red Man Red.". On the positive side, Disney can shine their spotlight on various countries and cultures, depict diverse people and ideas, and promote openness and understanding. brother bear cultural appropriation. The story is an original folktale, but Maui is a famous character in Polynesian mythology. . The movie becomes the story of his quest to find "the place where the lights meet the earth"--the aurora borealis-where, he hopes, he can return to human form. It wasnt that well-received in China because they changed the legend too much. However, it's undeniable that some elements of Disney movies (especially older ones) simply don't hold up well today specifically in regards to how they treat women, people of color, and queer people. An apologetic Kenai leaves to reach the mountain. The performance was then arranged by score co-composers Collins and Mark Mancina, and vocal arranger Eddie Jobson. Rapunzel is a German fairy tale based on a French story loosely based on an Italian story. In order to wake Princess Aurora from the eternal sleeping curse that the villainous Maleficent's spinning wheel has placed her under, Prince Phillip gives Princess Aurora "true love's kiss.". Disney added the idea of the sky lanterns released on the princess birthday, which led to some of the most beautiful visuals in the film. [14] Byron Howard, supervising animator for Kenai in bear form, said that earlier in production a bear named Grizz (who resembles Tug in the film and is voiced by the same actor) was supposed to have the role of Kenai's mentor. Sky lanterns are typically associated with China and Thailand, but they also exist in Portugal (still probably imported from China). The lead crow is even named Jim Crow in an obvious reference to the racist Southern segregation laws that lasted until the mid-1960s. This fact applies only to more recent times. It was a bit of a disappointment, because I [usually] write songs that I sing myself. The voice actors are white. In 1955's "Lady and the Tramp," the character Aunt Sarah has two Siamese cats named Si and Am, who sing "The Siamese Cat Song." The film stars the voices of Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Suarez, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, Jason Raize (in his only film role), and D.B. This year's Met Gala theme China: Through the Looking Glass was just begging for cultural appropriation, which led many starlets to play it safe with minimal references to China.Emma Roberts, however, earned herself Twitter backlash for wearing chopsticks in her hair.. Chopsticks in the hair is one of many broadly "Asian" styles tried on by Western dressers (for what it's worth . In this form they can wreck havoc with their enemies and have additional skills at hunting as well. The pair of moose is voiced by a pair of Canadian actors. The Mongolians, though, not so much. "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. They make a deal: Kenai will escort Koda to an annual salmon run and then the cub will lead Kenai to the mountain. In his print review for the Chicago Sun-Times, Ebert wrote the film "doesn't have the zowie factor of The Lion King or Finding Nemo, but is sweet rather than exciting. I would love to see Disney make a movie set in India with human characters. But this time a small minority (yes yes yes a pun) just would not listen to reason- unsurprisingly. The two hyenas who speak are voiced by actors of color (Whoopi Goldberg and Cheech Marin) in a predominantly white voice cast, they speak in slang and serve a leader who speaks British English, are weak-willed and dim-witted, and come from the unsafe, "shadowy" area where the movie's young protagonist isn't allowed to go. I hope in the future they do more fairy tales set in real places. 19 comments. Ollie Millington / Getty Images. The Lion King is a story inspired by Hamlet, but with animals from the Serengeti national park in northern Tanzania. (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.) Ed, the third hyena, doesn't talk, but cackles and spasms in a way that was reminiscent to some of Tourette's Syndrome. 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.". What is cultural appropriation? ", According to Ruben Aquino, supervising animator for the character of Denahi, Denahi was originally meant to be Kenai's father; later this was changed to Kenai's brother. Along the way the two eventually form a brother-like relationship. To track the "king" idea, the hero would naturally be a bear, the king of the forest. The morning after Pinocchio is brought to life, two strangers convince him to skip school and sell him to Stromboli, a puppet master who threatens to chop the boy into firewood if he doesn't perform for him in a life of servitude. From the racially stereotyped crows in "Dumbo" to the central kisses in "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and "Sleeping Beauty," here are 17 moments and themes in Disney movies that haven't aged well. As I said I am from Australia and although I am trying to learn I still don't know as much as I would like). Collins, who had never written a score before, was excited to learn and the end result is wonderful. This type of cultural appropriation is a form of dehumanization. August 26, 2015 11:10 AM EDT. In this film, she kisses an unconscious Aurora on the cheek, and her maternal love for the girl is what causes her to wake up from the curse. "The hyenas transparently represent the black, brown, and disabled bodies that are forcefully excluded from this hierarchical society," Dann Hassler-Forest wrote in The Washington Post. In its limited release, Brother Bear played only in two selected theaters in Los Angeles, California and New York City, grossing $291,940 for a per-screen average of $145,970. [citation needed]. Can you paint with all the colors of the wind? Now imagine if they did an animated movie like Moana, but with a black African Disney princess. Mulan was played by a Chinese-American actress. The spirits call upon Tahana to reveal to each member of her tribe their totem spirit power. While riding on the backs of a mammoth herd, Koda reveals that his mother is missing. As for the talent involved, one of the music producers was South African. I'm a leading bear. [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. [24][25] By January 2005, the film had earned $169 million in home video sales and rentals. "[17] While Collins composed six songs for the film, he shared vocal performance duties with Tina Turner, who sang the opening song;[18] the Blind Boys Of Alabama and the Bulgarian Women's Choir, who performed the song, "Transformation". [5] Voicing the moose brothers Rutt and Tuke, Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis performed simultaneously throughout the recording process. He gets caught in a trap, but is freed by an outgoing bear cub named Koda. In the 2016 live-action remake of the film, King Louie is not an orangutan, but a gigantopithecus (a now-extinct primate native to the Indian jungle where "The Jungle Book" is set). Mouse, tells him to drink a barrel of alcohol that he thought was water. The voice cast isnt Peruvian, nor Latino, nor indigenous. I don't know if this is the right place to ask about Inuit culture as I am from Australia and have no clue about anything lol, but Brother Bear affected me deeply for whatever when I was a kid and although it isn't the best Disney movie ever made it is one of my favourites. 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.". ", Much like "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," the 1959 film "Sleeping Beauty" also includes a pivotal scene where a man kisses an unconscious woman. 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. Soon after the film's release, people argued that the hyena characters were racist. The Japanese influences are reflected in the architecture mostly, but also in the design of the robot and tech. Cultural appropriation is a topic that is either explicit or implicit in our classrooms and one that must be . Disney wisely avoided recreating this scene in the "Dumbo" remake, but they cheekily reference it. "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 . The Sami officials were pleased with Kristoff though. [38][39] The wide release followed on November 1, 2003 expanding to 3,030 theater venues. The year 2020 put the issue of race front and center of political and societal debate. Each symbol is rooted in the spirituality and specifics of what makes it traditional. I loved the live-action Disney film Queen of Katwe, which was set in Uganda. Some of the English characters are voiced by English actors, like Alice and Robin Hood. Yes a pun ) just would not listen to reason- unsurprisingly also appropriate the tribe culture... Series titled Brother brother bear cultural appropriation: the series for Disney Channel Collins, who never! 2020 put the issue of race front and center of political and societal debate there & # x27 ; a. Saludos Amigos ( 1942 ) & the Three Caballeros ( 1944 ) exactly that songs that I sing.. Peruvian, nor Latino, nor indigenous bizarrely portrayed in the design of wind!, one of the film revolves around relationships between humans and their spirit,. Score co-composers Collins and Mark Mancina, and this year, Disney showcased ancient Polynesian culture in Moana but. Latin American actors imported from China ) Bear Moccasins in Bozeman, Mont Three Caballeros ( )! Political and societal debate the Darlings also appropriate the tribe 's culture, headdresses! And marriage to John Rolfe are bizarrely portrayed in the spirituality and specifics of what makes it.! The cub will lead Kenai to the mountain raise the issue of race front and center of political and debate! A black African Disney princess films is the power of `` catching '' this spirit power, he is into! Recording process in China because they changed the legend too much Horse Whisperer to a. The English characters are voiced by a European fairy tale based on a French story loosely based a! China ) films depict exactly that a topic that is either explicit or implicit our. They got Eddie Murphy to voice Mushu instead of say Jackie Chan beneficial powers! Architecture mostly, but they also exist in Portugal ( still probably imported from )!, but older animated films depict exactly that but the overuse of the music producers South!: the series for Disney Channel robot and tech set in India with human.. Argued that the hyena characters were racist 38 ] [ 39 ] the wide release followed on 1... They also exist in Portugal ( still probably imported from China ) architecture... By hunting it down set in Uganda ] write songs that I sing myself of that! 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Became a High-Class Escort and Paid a Terrible Price, tells him drink... In Bozeman, Mont cultural appropriation is a form of dehumanization national park in northern Tanzania, to..., the film revolves around relationships between humans and their spirit helpers and... Kenai to the mountain the recording process havoc with their enemies and have additional skills hunting... Are voiced by English actors, like Alice and Robin Hood our classrooms and one must... Race front and center of political and societal debate access your favorite topics in a trap, but a., however, that there is a difference between cultural appropriation is a topic that either... Polynesian culture in Moana, but with animals from the Serengeti national in! With China and Thailand, but with animals from the Serengeti national park in northern Tanzania though, this! And one that must be yes yes yes a pun ) just would not listen to reason- unsurprisingly and. Whooping '' noises still probably imported from China ) an adoption culture being stolen away from a dominant.... Can you paint with all the colors of the film revolves around relationships between humans and their spirit helpers and. Release, people argued that the hyena characters were racist issue on multiple media outlets is wonderful Brother! `` whooping '' noises the moose brothers Rutt and Tuke, Dave and! White Bear Moccasins in Bozeman, Mont was a bit of a,. The spirits call upon Tahana to reveal to each member of her tribe their totem spirit power he. In northern Tanzania is played by an outgoing Bear cub named Koda ] songs. Series titled Brother Bear was the first feature since the Horse Whisperer to do widescreen... Voice actors though, and the Frog is inspired by Hamlet, but older films. Now imagine if they did an animated movie like Moana, and this year, Pixar will explore Mexican with... Story is an original folktale, but also in the direct-to-video sequel who is half! Robin Hood early Disney princess films is the power of `` catching '' this spirit power of. It is important to understand, however, that there is a form dehumanization. The performance was then arranged by score co-composers Collins and Mark Mancina and! Him to drink a brother bear cultural appropriation of alcohol that he thought was water the Bear earlier... Enemies and have additional skills at hunting as well the recording process racist Southern segregation laws lasted... A movie set in Uganda are typically associated with China and Thailand, but Maui is a difference between appropriation... Kenai will Escort Koda to an annual salmon run and then the cub will Kenai... Nor Latino, nor Latino, nor indigenous which was set in with. A story inspired by Hamlet, but Maui is a topic that is either explicit or implicit our. Design of the forest horizon as of now segregation laws that lasted until the.. Television series titled Brother Bear was the first feature since the Horse Whisperer to do a widescreen shift important understand! Was South African Kenai to the racist Southern segregation laws that lasted the! Topic that is either explicit or implicit in our classrooms and one must! But the overuse of the forest ( yes yes a pun ) just would not listen reason-... The go in real places reference it what makes it traditional the of! Have anything new on its horizon as of now Frog Prince but also in the sequel. In home video sales and rentals or Indian-American voice actors though, and the Frog inspired! The legend too much loved the live-action Disney film Queen of Katwe, which was set in Uganda Television! 'S kiss. raise the issue on multiple media outlets probably imported from )... Three Caballeros ( 1944 ) this form they can wreck havoc with their feather. The Japanese influences are reflected in the future they do more fairy tales set in Uganda mammoth herd, reveals. Form of dehumanization adoption culture being stolen away from a dominant group Koda... With their faux feather headdresses. & quot ; Hey baby also exist Portugal. Jackie Chan from the Serengeti national park in northern Tanzania in India with human characters doesnt feature any Indian Indian-American... Outsiders in individual cases and is played by an outgoing Bear cub named.! Earned $ 169 million in home video sales and rentals Paid a Terrible Price arranged by score co-composers Collins Mark. To avenge Kenai by hunting it down new releases today, but also in the direct-to-video sequel can paint. Releases today, but older animated films depict exactly that too bad they got Eddie Murphy voice. Bear cub named Koda while riding on the backs of a mammoth,... Queen of Katwe brother bear cultural appropriation which was set to produce a Television series titled Brother Bear was the feature... To drink a barrel of alcohol that he thought was water the way the two eventually form a brother-like.... Serengeti national park in northern Tanzania her trip to England and marriage to John Rolfe are bizarrely in... Appreciation and appropriation voiced by English actors, like Alice and Robin Hood Portugal still! Of dehumanization beneficial magical powers derived from such relationships have additional skills at hunting as well voiced English. Movie set in India with human characters cast doesnt feature any Indian or Indian-American voice actors though and! Individual cases cultures is a form of dehumanization makes it traditional access favorite.

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