It likely takes place in Alaska as it features grizzlies, moose and auroras, but the animators said they visited national parks in Alaska and in the contiguous United-States for inspiration. In our remote-control cultural context, that figure tops out at 15 seconds, max. [5] They also traveled through Denali National Park and the Kenai Fjords National Park, where they visited Exit and Holgate Glacier. As for the talent involved, one of the music producers was South African. 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. Children and their parents are likely to relate on completely different levels, the adults connecting with the transfer of souls from man to beast, while the kids are excited by the adventure stuff. San Fransokyo is basically San Fransisco rebuilt by Japanese immigrants. 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. So another star for Disney's realistic portrayal of that seldom seen realm of American Indian medicine powers. To fully understand its consequences, though, we need to make sure we have a working definition of culture itself. 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. 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. Words: 2401 Pages: 8 5490. Cultural appropriation definition, the adoption, usually without acknowledgment, of cultural identity markers from subcultures or minority communities into mainstream culture by people with a relatively privileged status. To track the "king" idea, the hero would naturally be a bear, the king of the forest. without permission. 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. Typically, queer-coded male villains tend to be effeminate, flamboyant, and/or talk with a lisp, while queer-coded female villains tend to be more masculine and brash than the movies' heroines. 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.". I hope in the future they do more fairy tales set in real places. There are two songs performed and written by a Hawaiian musician. Every other character speaks in British English, implying that the "Jungle Book" apes embody historically dehumanizing, racist comparisons between black people and apes. When a person has come of age and the spirits are ready, Tahana calls for a ceremony in which she reveals the totem to the recipient, who in turn must "catch" the spirit power of it, as most natives now say. On the positive side, Disney can shine their spotlight on various countries and cultures, depict diverse people and ideas, and promote openness and understanding. "Don't you think that it's weird that the prince kisses Snow White without her permission?" Cultural appropriation is a topic that is either explicit or implicit in our classrooms and one that must be . The cast features no Native American actor beside the professor who voices a narrator. Once Pinocchio escapes, he's almost immediately carted off to Pleasure Island, where badly behaved boys drink, smoke, and generally wreak havoc. The local shaman disagrees with this action, and transforms the brother into a bear. "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 . Abdul-Jabbar is a six-time NBA champion and league Most Valuable Player. 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. 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. I dont see why Tiana needed an obscenely rich white friend. Can you paint with all the colors of the wind? I don't care about that. 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. India has a ton of filmmakers already and a huge demographic. When Tahana calls for him, Kenai's childish dream is to get a power stronger than either of them. Cultural Appropriation: "Taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, or artifacts from someone else's culture without permission. However, instead of opening on Halloween, the film would be released on Saturday, November 1, 2003. The real Pocahontas was about 12 when she met John Smith. Collins's lyrics for the song were first translated into Iupiaq. Next fall their doors will open to the public, and since the Air and Space Museum is the Smithsonian's most-visited museum, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out what will instantly become the second most visited site on the mall. Tahana reveals that his spirit helper is the bear. Disney films have been a mainstay in many people's childhoods for generations, but some elements of them don't hold up today. The movie's rosy portrait of slavery and racial relations in the South immediately drew criticism at the time of the film's release. Kenai accepts his new surroundings and is comfortable living with the other bears. I play a Native American transformed into a bear. It is set approximately 2000 years ago. The new story is simply set in an uninhabited jungle that white people happen to visit in a time period that looks colonial. [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. [6] In 1997, veteran animator Aaron Blaise came on board the project as director because he "wanted to be attached so that [he] could animate bears",[7] and was soon joined by co-director Robert Walker. Native American War Bonnet. Other schools have since opted in, including the University of Colorado Boulder, the University . The lead crow is even named Jim Crow in an obvious reference to the racist Southern segregation laws that lasted until the mid-1960s. Ohio University launched a poster campaign in 2011 called "We're a Culture, Not a Costume.". The tone of these film also varies, from the comedic anachronisms of Hercules to the darker approach of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. The story is an original folktale, but Maui is a famous character in Polynesian mythology. Aug. 30, 2017. Moana's music is subject to appropriation, an echo of how colonial resources were exploited in ways that prioritize benefits to cultural outsiders. 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!). After Kenai transforms into a bear twenty-four minutes into the picture, the film itself transforms as well: to an anamorphic aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and towards brighter, more fanciful colors and slightly more caricatured art direction. I would love to see Disney make a movie set in India with human characters. 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? Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. The year 2020 put the issue of race front and center of political and societal debate. Sweeney. I dont think India will do a Disney-quality animated movie any time soon, so a musical collaboration seems like it could be a great idea. The Princess and the Frog is inspired by a European fairy tale called The Frog Prince. On the negative side, Disney can be accused of cultural appropriation as they make a profit off selling other peoples stories and culture. Brother Bear is a 2003 American animated musical fantasy comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. . He loves it, learned a great, new, easy-to-pronounce vocabulary word, and, most important, it looks adorable in the house but can go outside at any time. Mulan takes a famous Chinese legend and turns it into the most awesome Disney movie ever. Slowly but surely, there could be all kinds of Disney princesses: a Kazakh princess, a Korean princess, a Thai princess, an Amazonian princess, etc. She then married an Englishman named John Rolfe and visited England, but she died at the young age of 21. An apologetic Kenai leaves to reach the mountain. Well, think again. [9] A year later, the production team took additional research trips through the Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and the Sequoia National Park. On the other hand, if you learn, explore, and understand a . This blending of two cultures is a timely concept and a nice love letter to immigrants. [27], The film was released in a Blu-ray special edition combined with its sequel, Brother Bear 2, on March 12, 2013.[28]. Its a cool concept, and they cast African-American actors to voice the African-American characters, but I thought it was a bit weird to make Tiana the pseudo-servant of a rich white girl. Last century they dubbed themselves the "forgotten minority." AltseWait 3 yr. ago. His being is caught betwixt and between: he is a bear with a stupid human mind. The cartoon characters include a Brazilian parrot, a penguin from Patagonia and a Mexican rooster. 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 writing team of Steve Bencich and Ron J. Friedman. As the concept of cultural appropriation is used in this essay, it does not necessarily carry with it any moral baggage. [10] However, Blaise explained that "we were struggling [with the story], trying to get some charm into the film. It's never a good idea to give up your voice or sense of self for a romantic partner especially when you're 16 and your potential love interest is a man you've never officially met. Tangled marked a return to classic European fairy tales. 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.". There are many different types of tribal art, including Celtic, Iban, Mayan, and Aztec deities. The killing of George Floyd also forced many sport teams that utilize Native American heritage to review that . Cultural appropriation is the "adoption or taking of specific elements of one culture by another without substantive reciprocity, permission, compensation, understanding, or appreciation" (Chepp, 2012). In 1941's "Dumbo," the elephant encounters a pack of crows who are some of the only characters who are friendly towards him in the movie. It ranges from the aggressively entitled stance of, "I can do whatever I want!" to the perpetually angry approach of "everything is cultural appropriation!". I haven . It is based on the famous Arabic tale set in Arabic China. [30] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale. 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. A turban (also known as a dastaar) is a religious item worn by people who practise Sikhism. 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. 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. This helps the message reach a wider audience and helps get the . 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.". [26] In April 2004 alone, 5.51 million DVD copies of the film were sold. One major criticism Keziah received was that she profaned the dress by wearing it to a party. The film stars the voices of Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Suarez, Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, Jason Raize (in his only film role), and D.B. "Brother Bear" is only the beginning of a soon-to-be growing revival of our interest in American Indians. He objects to his totem, stating that bears are thieves, and believes his point is made a fact when a brown bear steals their basket of salmon. It also includes the unauthorized use of parts of their culture (their dress, dance, etc.) "[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. It was a bit of a disappointment, because I [usually] write songs that I sing myself. And of course theres the pitfall of veering into hurtful stereotypes. The film's music collaborators, Nate "Rocket" Wonder and Roman GianArthur, voice them, and they sing a new song called "What A Shame.". The voice cast isnt Peruvian, nor Latino, nor indigenous. 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". If you show love and appreciation for parts of a culture, such as clothing, hairstyles, or accessories, but remain prejudiced against its people, that's appropriation. The character Jim Crow was also troublingly voiced by a white actor (Cliff Edwards). Exotifying Other Cultures Because You Think It's a "Compliment". The Lion King is a story inspired by Hamlet, but with animals from the Serengeti national park in northern Tanzania. Sami people traditionally raise reindeer to pull sleds but they dont typically ride them. 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. BOZEMAN, Mont. The Sami officials were pleased with Kristoff though. 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). Only then will we be close to a world that is more equal and respectful of others. 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 . For instance, there are racist caricatures in "Dumbo" and "Lady and the Tramp," and non-consensual kisses in "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" and "Sleeping Beauty.". brother bear cultural appropriation. Brother Bear (2003) One recurring theme in early Disney princess films is the power of "true love's kiss." Bear shamans are renowned for their healing abilities, especially from bullet wounds. Brother Bear is a 2003 American animated musical comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It's a controversial topic, one that activists and celebrities like Adrienne Keene and Jesse Williams have helped bring into the national spotlight. Moya-Smith explains, "In my culture, elders have to earn the right to wear a headdress. It is adapted from a story set in India and written by a British-Indian author. New collaborations in storytelling. 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. Meanwhile, Rutt and Tuke, having had a falling-out, reconcile in front of Koda, prompting him to forgive Kenai. There's a big difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. 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. It was beautiful and moving. Disney is increasingly recognizing its flaws and now seems to have understood its responsibility in the representation of other cultures. [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. The two are hunted by Denahi, who is still determined to avenge Kenai, unaware that the bear he is pursuing is actually Kenai himself. Much like European fairy tales have fairies, kings, sorcerers with long beards and flying broomsticks, Aladdin has a genie, a sultan, a mustache-twisting vizier and a flying carpet. However, much of the public remains confused about what the term actually means. Disney wisely avoided recreating this scene in the "Dumbo" remake, but they cheekily reference it. As Ursula tells Ariel when she agrees to give up her ability to speak in order to become human and vie for Prince Eric's affections, "On land it's much preferred for ladies not to say a word / It's she who holds her tongue who gets a man. The real pinnacle is that I'm playing an animated character in a Disney film. Speak out against the use of Native mascots and raise the issue on multiple media outlets. 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 . 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. A step further is to partner with local studios and to mentor the development of local projects, something Disney has been known to do at least tentatively in China. At first glance, it appears that this is a harmless act. These movies are made of segments presenting famous sights and cultural aspects of Latin America through a mix of animation and live-action footage. (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.) A lost cub bear, named Koda (taken perhaps from the Kodiak Eskimos, the enemy of the Tanaina) plays the role of a Zen koan becoming the key to Kenai's realization process. But if festivals are a space for freedom of expression, where is the line betw. Take the characters in Walt Disney Pictures' new animated feature. But you may have forgotten the story's darker, more disturbing elements, particularly the sheer amount of child trafficking that takes place. Today, many believe the crows to be racist caricatures of black Americans for their use of "jive talk." "Lumping all American Indians together as one monolithic caricature is grossly offensive, because these are real people, with many, many different cultures," wrote Elizabeth Broadbent for The Huffington Post. Moana takes inspiration from Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and Tahiti. He plays the piano with chopsticks, speaks in a stereotypical accent, and sings about fortune cookies. [5] Angayuqaq Oscar Kawagley, an associate professor who taught courses on Alaska Native philosophy at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, claimed he was never given a script, but was instead given "the dialogue that they had written, which was being told by a Native person". Required fields are marked *. Did Disney make money off another countrys culture? The film, which was released in the United States on November 1, 2003, received mixed reviews from critics and received a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 76th Academy Awards, losing to Pixar's Finding Nemo. Pocahontas rewrites history and kind of falls into the noble savage trope, wherein the good indigenous character has not yet been corrupted by the evil of civilization. Your email address will not be published. "Si and Am of 'Lady and the Tramp,' which premiered just a decade after the [World War II's] end, were undoubtedly conjured by the remaining prejudices of this milieu, emblems of an era when anything categorically or characteristically 'Asian' was met with misplaced fear," wrote Marcus Hunter for Flavorwire. That's exactly the way it works in the reality where humans and animal spirits walk through life in unison. Theres a song performed by a Bulgarian choir using Yupik lyrics written by an Alaskan professor. 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."