I saw Moana this week. I really enjoyed it. I liked the songs, the animation, the characters, the story, everything. It has vast critical praise. My friends like it. All is well.
Then I found out that some (if not all) the people who it represents are offended. There's a FB page detailing grievances, from the costume incident to failures to properly portray characters, whitewashing, brownwashing, and everything in between.
This essay is dense. I read it, but I'm confused. The author demands the native consultants on the film step up and explain Disney's motives, or at least reveal their names. They accuse Disney of Brownwashing the perspective, and painting the time before colonialism as too idyllic.
I felt guilt while watching the film. 'Gee, this place seems nice. Of course white people fucked it up.'
People are mad because Maui is fat. I thought Maui looked muscular, buff. No other person in the film was even a little rounder, either muscular or fat. People claim it's fat-shaming, and steryotypical to show a native that way. Am I allowed to point out that Maui is heroic, strong, smart, and does things no other character could? Maybe providing a role model for rounder people? Or is that racist? I'm not being passive aggressive, I'm honestly very confused.
My knowledge of that area is limited; there was a post-movie fight where Bahamute had to explain to me that Polynesia covers far more than Hawaii, all the way down to New Zeland. That the Maori are part of it. I was ignorant and wrong, I admitted it.
Then somebody said the coconuts in the film are offensive, as Coconut is a slur, and they do a Maori dance. I don't remember any dancing in the movie by those things. I had no idea Coconut was a slur. I've learned more about racism towards Polynesian people in the last ten minutes than the rest of my life.
Why should I feel guilt for things done hundreds of years before I was born?
Why shouldn't I carry the weight of what people like me did to people who looked different?
Who am I to say what's racist?
Who am I to deny how much I loved that film?
What can I do? How should I feel? This isn't my fight; if I try and make it so am I just taking a stance away from someone it actually effects?
There's racism and oppression at Standing Rock right now; why am I worried about this, where nobody's been physically hurt or arrested?
What do I do? How should I feel?
I think it's too late for me not to like Moana. I've seen it. The attachment is done. Do I just feel guilty for that and move on? Am I blowing this out of proportion? Aside from educating myself, do I have a responsibility to this idea, these people, this fight?
I feel ill.
Then I found out that some (if not all) the people who it represents are offended. There's a FB page detailing grievances, from the costume incident to failures to properly portray characters, whitewashing, brownwashing, and everything in between.
This essay is dense. I read it, but I'm confused. The author demands the native consultants on the film step up and explain Disney's motives, or at least reveal their names. They accuse Disney of Brownwashing the perspective, and painting the time before colonialism as too idyllic.
I felt guilt while watching the film. 'Gee, this place seems nice. Of course white people fucked it up.'
People are mad because Maui is fat. I thought Maui looked muscular, buff. No other person in the film was even a little rounder, either muscular or fat. People claim it's fat-shaming, and steryotypical to show a native that way. Am I allowed to point out that Maui is heroic, strong, smart, and does things no other character could? Maybe providing a role model for rounder people? Or is that racist? I'm not being passive aggressive, I'm honestly very confused.
My knowledge of that area is limited; there was a post-movie fight where Bahamute had to explain to me that Polynesia covers far more than Hawaii, all the way down to New Zeland. That the Maori are part of it. I was ignorant and wrong, I admitted it.
Then somebody said the coconuts in the film are offensive, as Coconut is a slur, and they do a Maori dance. I don't remember any dancing in the movie by those things. I had no idea Coconut was a slur. I've learned more about racism towards Polynesian people in the last ten minutes than the rest of my life.
Why should I feel guilt for things done hundreds of years before I was born?
Why shouldn't I carry the weight of what people like me did to people who looked different?
Who am I to say what's racist?
Who am I to deny how much I loved that film?
What can I do? How should I feel? This isn't my fight; if I try and make it so am I just taking a stance away from someone it actually effects?
There's racism and oppression at Standing Rock right now; why am I worried about this, where nobody's been physically hurt or arrested?
What do I do? How should I feel?
I think it's too late for me not to like Moana. I've seen it. The attachment is done. Do I just feel guilty for that and move on? Am I blowing this out of proportion? Aside from educating myself, do I have a responsibility to this idea, these people, this fight?
I feel ill.
