Life Lessons From Lilo & Stitch
For most kids, the songs and scenes of Disney movies evoke happy memories of the pure simplicity of childhood. It is when we read between the catchy lines and soundbites that we delve into the lessons we have learnt. From The Little Mermaid’s Ariel giving up her voice to attract a prince to the rife racial stereotypes in Aladdin and the whitewashing of Princess Tiana, the lessons that movies and TV shows teach children have long been debated and analysed. It is at a time where the definition of family is evolving and children are being separated from their parents at the border, that I turn to an unlikely hero and role model: Lilo and Stitch.
[su_pullquote]“Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind — or forgotten.”[/su_pullquote]When I was younger many of the common ‘golden sayings’ that my mum preached fell on deaf ears. However, one phrase that resonated with me was spoken not by my mum or dad or priest, but by a 6-year-old animated Hawaiian girl called Lilo Pelekai. To Lilo, “Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind — or forgotten.” Lilo and Stitch revolved around the adventures of Lilo and her adopted “dog” – a mischievous alien renamed “Stitch.” Binding the two mishaps together was the Hawaiian concept of ‘ohana.’ Transcending blood, ohana nurtures a family of friends, neighbors, colleagues etc. through mutual and genuine love, respect, and support.
It is sadly ironic that the same country in which Lilo lovingly embraced an extraterrestrial creature as family produced an Attorney General in Jeff Sessions who announced:
“If you’re smuggling a child, then we’re going to prosecute you, and that child will be separated from you, probably, as required by law.”
The US government enacted – and later reversed – a ‘zero tolerance’ policy of separating families and locking up children in prison-like facilities. Trump’s administration stated that in just one month 2,000 children were separated from their families at the US-Mexico border in 2018. According to the Global Detention Project, no other country in the world uses a policy of separating prospective asylum-seeking families. It’s not just that a different skin colour, religion, or nationality stops people regarding each other as ‘family’; differences are systematically used to justify not treating others as human beings.
America’s family separation policy is a horrifying example of a much larger trend: fears for safety are continuously being exploited to rationalize discrimination and dehumanization. Humans are naturally social creatures; we live, breathe, and are changed by our interactions. In the age of social media, we are constantly weaving ourselves into networks of ‘friends’ and ‘followers.’ As a result, connections have become a point of contention and a source of fear and hate. Today, the concept of family is being weaponized. The ideal model of ‘family’ is actively manipulated to de-incentivize asylum-seeking and restrict women’s autonomy over their own bodies. Uncompassionate and divisive measures are not unique to the United States. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán commanded the detention of refugees in barbed-wire centers to quell the “invasion” of non-white, Muslim migrants. Boat-loads of persecuted people brave oceans in search of safety and are met with hatred and discrimination. Walls are built and borders fortified. Society is choosing hate over love and persecution over acceptance. Revisiting ‘ohana’ can aid us in a time where it is critical to evolve who we treat with deserves respect and compassion.
[su_pullquote align=”right”]To not be left behind or forgotten – because of how you look, love, or worship – is not a big ask; it is what is right.[/su_pullquote]Touching on themes of death and isolation, Lilo and Stitch presented a deeper, more complex portrayal of life than its target audience could fully comprehend. With a fading innocence and naivety, re-watching childhood favorite tales and characters can open our eyes to lessons that were important then and are still critical now. According to several polls, the majority of Americans oppose the family separation policy. The actions of our politicians do not always reflect the will of the people. Some trends should not be followed. It is up to us as individuals to speak up and act out against dehumanization and discrimination. Not all hope is lost and ‘ohana’ can still inform how we see and treat others. Lilo adopting a blue alien is not too big a stretch; when faced with difference, there is always common ground to be found. To not be left behind or forgotten – because of how you look, love, or worship – is not a big ask; it is what is right. Still, it is a troubling sign of our times that people are urged to look to an animated six-year-old for a model on family instead of our President or Prime Minister. When some lives are valued more than others, some deaths grieved more, some families seen as more ‘whole’ and ‘worthy,’ it is time to re-evaluate and perhaps even re-learn who we can believe, who we can support, and who we can love.[su_pullquote align=”right”]it is a troubling sign of our times that people are urged to look to an animated six-year-old for a model on family instead of our President or Prime Minister.[/su_pullquote]
Helen Webley-Brown‘22 studies in the College of Arts & Sciences. She can be reached at h.webley-brown@wustl.edu.