“Raya” takes its visual inspiration from many countries, including Laos, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines. The team also traveled to Southeast Asia for research.
Raya is voiced by Kelly Marie Tran, who is Vietnamese American. The film is inspired by diverse Southeast Asian cultures. The screenplay was written by Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim, who both trace their roots back to Southeast Asia.
So in spite of all the effort the dragons pored into saving Kumandra, the people divided into Five Kingdoms. The kingdoms were named, Heart, Fang, Talon, Spine, and Tail.
Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon introduces the beautiful fictional world of Kumandra. Over the course of the movie, viewers are taken on a journey through the kingdom's five regions. Inspired by countries within Southeast Asia, the lands of Fang, Heart, Spine, Talon, and Tail each showcase distinct tribes.
Raya translates to “celebration” in Malay. It also translates to “one who leads” in Southern Thailand. When creating Raya, screenwriters Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim drew inspiration from female Vietnamese warriors like the Trung sisters. Nguyen also looked to his own mother for inspiration.
The Cultural Inspirations in Raya and the Last Dragon
What country does Fang represent in Raya?
The fictional kingdom Fang draws on geometric architecture from Indonesia, while Talon is made up of floating markets reminiscent of those in Thailand. The titular last dragon, Sisu (voiced by Awkwafina), is modeled after naga, serpent-like creatures from Southeast Asian folklore.
The story of Raya and the Last Dragon isn't taken from any specific legend or myth. But, as co-screenwriter Adele Lim, who is Malaysian, told IGN, Raya is symbolic of the Southeast Asian women she grew up with.
The Land of Heart's distinctive round rock formation is home to the magical Dragon Gem and was inspired by the iconic limestone rocks found in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay and along the Mekong River, the longest river in Southeast Asia.
In Raya And The Dragon, “binturi” is an insult that basically means “traitor” – hence why it's Raya's preferred term for Namaari. It's part of the Kumandran dialect which was created specifically for the movie by language creator David J.
Tuk Tuk is a character in Raya and the Last Dragon. He is a third-pill bug, third-armadillo and third-pug hybrid, he is Raya's pet, with the ability to roll into a ball as a means of transportation. When he was younger, he was quite small.
Raya Isn't Based On A Legend — But It's Inspired By Real Women. The story of Raya and the Last Dragon isn't taken from any specific legend or myth. But, as co-screenwriter Adele Lim, who is Malaysian, told IGN, Raya is symbolic of the Southeast Asian women she grew up with.
Therefore, Raya and the Last Dragon is the first Walt Disney Animation Feature to have a transgender character. If the protocol at Disney remains in the way it has been presented, it may not be the last time.
Namaari arrives just in time to hear Raya call her a binturi. She taunts Raya, calling her dep la (strangely beautiful) and demands to know why Raya is stealing Dragon Gem pieces.
Raya and the Last Dragon is a fantasy film set in the fictional land of Kumandra, but that world is inspired by the beautiful cultures of Southeast Asia. Writer Adele Lim emphasized that Kumandra is a fictional land, and that Southeast Asia served as its inspiration.
1. Raya was inspired by a history of strong female leaders in Southeast Asia. According to co-writer Qui Nguyen, some of his inspirations include the legend of the Trưng Sisters, fearless Vietnamese warriors who fought to liberate the country from China's rule centuries ago.
Fang is influenced by places like Cambodia's Angkor Wat. The land is home to Raya's friend-turned-rival, Namaari. Like Raya, Namaari is the warrior princess of her home land; she uses a combat style inspired by Muy Thai and Krabi-Krabong.
While fans may mean no offense in drawing these comparisons, they actually do more harm than good; yes, the movie and the show are similar because they are based off of the same cultures. One is not a ripoff. They are not the same exact stories.
'Raya and the Last Dragon' is far from perfect though. To me, it is too safe with not a lot of risk taking and trying to be a little too closely indebted to older Disney conventions rather than doing something new. The pacing can be off, with some of the storytelling later on feeling over-crowded.
It was revealed that the movie is set up in an imaginary world but the world is similar to regions of South East Asia like Vietnam, Philipines, Thailand etc. Hence people get the misconception that the movie is filipino while it's not.
What culture is spine in Raya and the Last Dragon?
Spine is one of the five lands of Kumandra that appears in Disney's 2021 animated feature film, Raya and the Last Dragon. It is located North of Kumandra and is known for its mighty axe-bladers and snow-covered land. The land was ruled by the Spine Chief before he gets petrified by the Druun.
Physical appearance. Raya is an 18-year-old Southeast Asian girl of average height with a slender, slightly muscular build, tan skin, long black hair, and dark brown eyes.
The voice actor of Raya, Kelly Marie Tran, claims she ships the duo. Kelly personally interpreted their relationship as romantic, and voiced Raya accordingly. Both commonly use nicknames for each other, including princess undercut, binturi(s), dragon nerd, and dep la.
