Ohana is a Hawaiian word for family, and it encompasses extended family, close friends and those who share a sense of loyalty. The term was popularized in other cultures by Disney in the 2002 movie Lilo & Stitch, where it is used to describe Native Hawaiian views on family ties.
The live-action adaptation of the movie has stirred significant controversy among social media, particularly within the native Hawaiian community. While the original movie was cherished for its empowering critical story and cultural representation of Hawaiian identity and family values, the new adaptation (2025) has raised concerns regarding authenticity, representation, cultural sensitivity and the misrepresentation of indigenous Hawaiian family ideals. Many native Hawaiians have expressed their disappointment and frustration with the movie, stating changes in the narrative have transformed the live action into American propaganda.
COVERING THE BACKGROUND: IMPERIALISM AND U.S. PROPAGANDA
The backdrop of Hawaii‘s history with the United States is perhaps the source of the criticism surrounding the new version of Lilo & Stitch. In the late 19th century, the U.S. orchestrated the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, leading to the annexation of the islands in 1898. This act of imperialism has had lasting impacts on the Hawaiian people, their government, and their identity to this day, weaponizing the culture of natives into performative fantasies for tourists instead of sacred traditions.
Because of this, the portrayal of Hawaii in the media often leans toward romanticized tropes, emphasizing paradisiacal ideas and exoticism while glossing over the historical injustices faced by native residents. It was expected of the live action to put light over the consequences of imperialism and accentuate the critics already portrayed in the 2002 movie, instead of playing into the stereotypes, however, that’s not what happened.
While the original movie portraits the reality of native Hawaiians in relation to this stereotype – for example, when Nani is forced to work in a performative Luau aimed at tourists, or the habit that Lilo has of taking pictures of foreigners at the beach as an unconscious way of taking back power – these scenes were extinguished or minimized in the live action, therefore vanishing an important aspect of the movie: its criticism of the American occupation and the consequences that native people suffer to this day.
By focusing on the charming aspects of Hawaiian life without addressing the historical and ongoing impacts of colonialism, the film contributes to a broader misunderstanding of the challenges faced by indigenous communities. For native Hawaiians, this is seen as a missed opportunity to educate audiences about the realities of Hawaiian history and the resilience of its people.
THE MEANING BEHIND THE CHARACTERS
In addition to changing scenes from the original animation, the new live action version of Lilo & Stitch also modified characters and their identities. This action impacted the meaning of the movie completely, because most of the characters that suffered changes had a significant part in portraying the struggles of indigenous Hawaiians living in a post colonial land.
An example of that is the character Cobra Bubbles, who in the original 2002 movie was an American social worker constantly trying to get Nani to give up custody of Lilo. As a former CIA agent, Cobra Bubbles represents the presence of United States authority and intervention in Hawaii and its originary people to this day. His character is a metaphor for native sovereignty being undermined by outside forces, and how colonial powers often justify their presence by claiming to protect native populations, while simultaneously surveilling and controlling them. However in the live action adaptation, Cobra Bubbles was completely modified, and the character that plays the role of the social worker is Mrs. Kekoa, an indigenous Hawaiian woman. This exchange extinguished completely the important criticism that the character upheld and that was so important for the story.
Aside from Cobra Bubbles, a character that also suffered modifications was one of the tourists that Lilo photographs at the beach. In the original movie, the character was a white foreign man, while in the adaptation the character was portrayed by an indigenous Hawaiian man. Casting a Native Hawaiian actor in a role that caricatures a white tourist shifts the portrayal of stereotypes onto a member of the local community rather than allowing the character to be a critique of the tourism industry that often commodifies Hawaiian culture.
“Ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind, or forgotten”
In the original Lilo & Stitch movie, the usage of the term “Ohana” was justified and made sense, giving the film its meaning and valuable message, that however was lost in the live action. By stripping away the critical elements that highlight the struggles and resilience of native Hawaiians, the film risks diluting the true meaning of the term, transforming it from a powerful representation of interconnectedness and belonging into a superficial catchphrase.
This misrepresentation perpetuates a romanticized view of Hawaiian culture, overshadowing the historical injustices and ongoing challenges faced by indigenous communities. Ultimately, the film’s failure to authentically portray the struggles of native Hawaiians like it did in the first animated version of the film serves as a reminder of the importance of honoring and preserving the genuine values and narratives that define Hawaiian identity, rather than succumbing to the commodification of culture for entertainment purposes.
And for those reasons, while the new Lilo & Stitch film aims to charm audiences, it has faced criticism from Native Hawaiians. The original film was celebrated for its representation of the Aloha Spirit and the importance of Ohana, but the new adaptation seems to overlook these essential cultural elements, leaving many feeling that their voices and stories have once again been sidelined. It’s important for you to watch the movie and create your own opinion about it, taking into consideration the perspectives of those whose heritage is at the center of the narrative, making sure that their culture is portrayed in a sensible and meaningful way.
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The article above was edited by Marina di Bernardo Babichak.
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