This past summer, in order to cling to my passing childhood, I made it a goal to see a list of about eight Classic Disney movies before the school year started up again. Among this list was Pocahontas, which I didn't happen to see till Friday night with a group of friends because, as it turns out, hardly anyone owns the movie.
While watching this with my friends, we discussed the history behind it. There is a lot which you can take from this movie. Although the history may be a little inaccurate in this film, the song "Colors of the Wind" has some very deep meaning. Before this song begins John Smith and Pocahontas are learning about each other and their culture. John starts to describe the buildings, roads, and sturdy houses they have back in England and how they will build it in the new land. He said that they will teach the "savages" how to use the land properly and how to make the most of it. Pocahontas is outraged. First because he called her a savage (who wouldn't be ofended) and the second reason is that she knows they run their land properly and been doing so for generations. At this point she goes into the song, "Colors of the Wind", telling John how he needs to accept the world as it is in it's wholeness.
Now, I'm not a tree-hugger-mother-nature-loving-organic-wearing-t-shirts hippy (although it's not wrong if you are one) but I have to admit that I love this song. There is so much more meaning in this scene than the average Disney watching child can comprehend.
This song encourages you to go beyond seeing life as something taken for granted each day. Instead, look around and have a keen awareness of your surroundings. Enjoy the earth, the beauty of it, and enjoy the freeness in it all but the song also encourages you to "walk the footsteps of a stranger and learn things you've never knew, you never knew"
And so we see, Pocahontas, the adventurous beautiful women, who is native to the land and John Smith, the white charming hero, who thinks he has come to save the day. In life we may look down upon a person because of their circumstance, and many of us will think it's appropriate to attempt to change who they are as a person because we think it will help them have a better life. If you look closer though, at most people's lives, they may just want a friend as Pocahontas did. Not someone to come in and critic how they live.
This is suposed to be a brief observation, so let me leave you with this: we need to grasp all the cultures, experiences, and gifts that life gives us. Make the most of the opportunities and relationships with people each and everyday.
"You can own the earth and still, all you own is earth until, you can paint with all the colors of the wind."
I also made this Disney pilgrimage not too long ago with a few of my cousins, trying to cling to our childhood. In many movies such as Pocahontas, Beauty and the Beast, and the Little Mermaid we noticed derogatory terms, abusive relationships, and many many dirty jokes we missed when we were younger. Why these images and messages went a little over my head as a child I know many children can pick up on the "adult humor."
ReplyDeleteWhen babysitting my History teacher's child in high school we put in the movie Pocahontas. As you may remember there is a scene where John Smith and the other Englishmen start to build their community while singing a song with the line "savages, savages, barley even human." After the song was over the 4 year old daughter asked me what a savage was. Explaining racial ignorance to a 4 year old....not easy.