Pocahontas became the first Native American Disney Princess and the first woman of color to be the lead character in a Disney film. As of 2014, she remains the only Disney Princess to be based on a historical figure.
Pocahontas is a 1995 American animated musical historical drama film based on the life of Powhatan woman Pocahontas and the arrival of English colonial settlers from the Virginia Company. The film romanticizes Pocahontas's encounter with John Smith and her legendary saving of his life.
Her primary name at birth was Amonute, and her secondary name was Matoaka, meaning “flower between two streams.” The heartbreaking life of Pocahontas was one of tragedy and violence - the story of a young girl who was brutally raped, kidnapped, and allegedly murdered by those who were meant to keep her safe.
Her features line up very distinctly with the descriptions of the Powhatan - that they had very strong cheekbones and jaws. They were also said to be naturally more pale than other Native American groups, but that they got very tan in the sun, with long straight black hair and black or brown eyes (H.C.
Is it true that Pocahontas saved John Smith's life?
Although Smith alleged years later that Pocahontas saved his life during a four-day ceremony in the process of his being made a Powhatan werowance, his life was never in danger. His life did not need saving.
Moana Waialiki of Motunui is the title character of Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated film Moana (2016). Created by directors Ron Clements and John Musker, Moana is voiced by Hawaiian actress and singer Auliʻi Cravalho.
America does have its own version of princesses, but it has a complicated history. Most people know about Pocahontas. But Graber says there are other stories about nameless Native American women that are often fictionalized and idealized creations of what a so-called Indian princess is.
Although Moana is from the fictional island Motunui some 3,000 years ago, the story and culture of Moana is based on the very real heritage and history of Polynesian islands such as Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, and Tahiti. In fact, once you start looking for ties to Polynesian culture in Moana, it's hard to stop!
But a new version of the old, J.M. Barrie classic does try to correct a character now widely considered racist. In the Disney+ movie Peter Pan & Wendy, Tiger Lily is played by Alyssa Wapanatâhk, a member of the Bigstone Cree First Nation.
The creator of Mickey Mouse and founder of Disneyland and Walt Disney World was born in Chicago, Illinois, on December 5, 1901. His father, Elias Disney, was an Irish-Canadian. His mother, Flora Call Disney, was of German-American descent. Walt was one of five children, four boys and a girl.
Disney is finally coming up with an Indian Princess. The Disney franchise is collaborating with filmmaker Gurinder Chadha and screenwriter Paul Mayeda Berges for an original musical feature. The film will reportedly be about a 'dynamic princess' from the pages of Indian history.
How many Native American Disney princesses are there?
There are currently only five non-Caucasian Disney Princesses: Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana and Moana. Jasmine is Arabian. Pocahontas is Native American.
Mulan as she appears in Mulan (1998). Disney had originally conceived Mulan as an oppressed young Chinese woman who ultimately elopes to Europe to be with a British prince.
If you haven't been following pop culture lately, Disney has a new film: “Raya and The Last Dragon”. The story follows a warrior princess as she fights to find the last dragon to save the world!
As Disney starts to diversify their movies and Princesses, it is important this is done correctly and to the highest level of authenticity possible. Moana strays from Disney tradition to allow Moana's cultural authenticity to come through and ensures that Polynesian culture is correctly represented.
Raya is a fictional character in Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated film Raya and the Last Dragon (2021). Created by screenwriter Adele Lim, she is voiced by American actress Kelly Marie Tran. The daughter of the chief of the Heart tribe, Raya is a warrior princess who is appointed the guardian of the Dragon Gem.
Amneris is a character from Disney Theatrical Productions adaptation of Aida. She is the Princess, later Pharaoh, of Egypt, daughter of the Pharaoh and fiancé of Radames.
According to a Disney spokeswoman, Sofia has a mixed fairy-tale heritage; her mother and father are from Galdiz (which is based on Spain) and Freezenburg (which is based on Scandinavia), respectively.
This illustration from the late nineteenth century shows Pocahontas, the young daughter of Powhatan, the chief of the Algonquian Indians of the Chesapeake, pleading for the life of John Smith, a leader of the Jamestown colony.
Smith and Pocahontas were never in love, at least romantically, and never had the slightest intention of marrying. Their “mad affair” might be a great story, but it never happened. Smith was indeed captured by the Indians in the winter of 1607 and taken to Chief Powhatan's capital at Werowocomoco.
