The Native American actress, Irene Bedard, said “...we will have to start telling our own stories.”[1] Pocahontas not only make Disney gained revenue, but it also seems to help the Native Indians have a conscious that they can now start to tell a stories of their own. Despite the fact that the Disney version of Pocahontas and the real Pocahontas story are very different. The question needed to be asked is that, does it matter that Disney is not faithful to the original story?
As a Chinese viewer, I have no idea that the story is come from a real historical event. I even got the perception that it is a new “creation” from Walt Disney. Pocahontas, to most of the Chinese viewer is just another fairy tales story. For the western world, it is a breakthrough for Walt Disney that it finally touches issue on racism. The Disney version of Pocahontas can be an international success is mostly because of the universal values like individualism, pursue of a fantasy world, etc are planted in this movie. Even without the common historical knowledge, you are still able to enjoy the movie. This seems it is a win-win situation. Take example of Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast or other films that is adopted from book or legend, Disney seems not take authenticity as part of the concern. It is not surprising that there are so much differences of the real Pocahontas from the real story.
The biggest theme that I can get from Pocahontas is that two different worlds can coexist in peace. Take the ending for example, John smith got hurt and Chief Powhatan thanked John for saving his life. John's crew left the New World. This is the values that can definitely recognize world-wide. As for the slogan of the 2008 Olympic game, it is “One World, One dream” after all. But what disturb me the most is that the western world like England, Spain, Portugal, invaded many countries (e.g. Latin America) at that period of time. This is the most ridiculous thing that the film portrayed the white man are mostly kind. And they will leave a place that big and beautiful, although they can find no gold. The real history is that the western world not only looks for gold but all other mineral and raw materials. Two differences world can not coexist in peace. The world is so globalized that has already become an ideology that we can co-exist in peace. One may say that this is just an animation. But the ideology implied in it is for a certain level represents how strong the western world is and how weak the other countries could be. The Native Indians’ land are waiting for invaded, in other word, sit and wait to be a victim. And the western world, in this case Britain, portrayed as saviour.
Kissing is a western custom. In the movie, Pocahontas has already known what it means since the moment John Smith wanted to kiss her. It is so amazing that “kissing” has represented as part of the universal value. It may seem that it is just a small detail in the movie. For me, this is kind of demolished the Native Indians' traditional custom and implied that the Native American do kissing for expressing love too. Not every world citizens know how the real Native Indians' look like, an international success like Pocahontas may be the only signifier for Native Indians. When people talk about Native Indian, which may trigger the image of the people in Pocahontas. The article has stated that “... Pocahontas emerged as a multicultural pastiche.”[2] I suggest that is kind of racist too. Why they cannot just present us the real Native American figure? Why it has to be a “finest creature ”? This may also one of the Disney world-wide work formula, pretty girl sells. So they just make-up a girl who look a bit like Native American. The contradiction is that Disney promote this movie as “It's also about having respect for each other's cultures” but they distort the Native American figure to “respect other's cultures.” Could it be more ridiculous? Disney has never created a white figure combined with other race's features in it.
The best thing I like in the movie is definitely the theme song “Colors of the wind”. It conveys the message of loving our environment and every plant or animal do have a life. To put the song in to date context, the song is like an alarm and awakening to us. Human is destroying the earth in a remarkably fast speed. We may quickly out of clean fresh water in the coming decade. It is a awakening song for Captain Smith too. It makes him and we realize that we are not the king of the world, there are many other spirits living with us too. However, Pocahontas has call herself “savage” is a bit annoying. How could she put her class down so quickly? John Smith did not do anything that really make Pocahontas feel like a “savage”. They both like each other almost at the first sight.
Animals and mystic power are two essential features in Disney film. In Pocahontas, two adorable animals, the humming bird and the raccoon has made the movie more vivid and most importantly, kids appealing. This is another example of how well the Disney can adopt the universal values in animations. We all love animal and find they are cute and attractive, mostly in cartoon. One may not like Pocahontas or John Smith, but you cannot resist the attraction of a humming or a raccoon. This is the genius thing that Disney does for most of their animation films.
Pocahontas is a movie that wrap with “bring the world together”. In my opinion, this is just a beautiful marketing strategy. The production of the movie has shown that the racist issue still in the movie. Mostly from the production group. The John Smith is white and he is, predictably, kind. Native Americans are barbarian or “ignorant savage”, even in their own perspective. Pocahontas may know every tree and creatures, but she may not know about the civilized world. John Smith in the other hand has travel all around the world and knows how to deal with the Indians. But he may not know about “the land he land on”, Pocahontas seems taught him a lesson and he kindly received and leave. However, the Indians' image of being an uncivilized tribe did not change.
[1] Edgerton, Gary, Jackson, Kathy Merlock. 1996, “Redesigning Pocahontas: Disney, the “white man's Indian,” and the marketing of dreams” Journal of Popular Film & Television. Vol.24, Iss.2; pg.90, 9pgs
[2] Edgerton, Gary, Jackson, Kathy Merlock. 1996, “Redesigning Pocahontas: Disney, the “white man's Indian,” and the marketing of dreams” Journal of Popular Film & Television. Vol.24, Iss.2; pg.90, 5/9pgs
By Vicky
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