PAGE 26
LATINX/HISPANIC CULTURE REPRESENTED IN KIDS ANIMATION MOVIES BY: AISHU SENTHIL
“Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see.” ~ Neil Postman Culture—an important aspect of our lives. It can be witnessed in everything we do, everything we think, and everything we see. Our world is full of diverse cultures, and it is important to spread the knowledge of these cultures as much as possible in order to keep them all alive. One effective way of doing this is by movies. And what better way to ensure that the future of our cultures are intact than by creating cultural awareness in children? After all, as Neil Postman’s quote suggests, children are the future. Latinx and Hispanic people are the largest ethnic minority group in the US. Their culture is an important influence on American history, and in order to maintain this legacy, it is important that people, particularly children, recognize this culture. The traditions of Latinx and Hispanic people have recently been brought to light by children’s movies. One popular movie that reflects this culture is Coco. This Disney film, released in 2017, has many cultural aspects binded into its imaginative, adventurous story. For example, the movie, featuring all Mexican characters, takes place on Dia de los Muertos, the famous Latinx/Hispanic festival. The beliefs and traditions that encircle this celebration, like the belief of the Land of the Dead and decorating altars in the memory of those who have passed on, are illustrated throughout the film. However, there are also more cultural connections that may not be noticed at first sight. An example would be the winged jaguar, portrayed as 30
