A Disney movie cannot bridge divide
Reading Estevan Rael-Gálvez’s My View (“‘Coco’ — healing family and community,” Dec. 24), I was struck by the fact that the author makes a cogent argument for helping Latino communities to recover a sense of identity, but assiduously avoids the elephant in the room by making only a scant and solitary mention of “indigenous people.” Moreover, his suggestion that our community would benefit from an analysis of the Disney film Coco seems misguided.
While it is certainly a wonderful animated film, context would be helpful here. Disney attempted to trademark the term “Día de Los Muertos” — a tactic that, if successful, would have been an obscene bit of cultural appropriation. Corporate mashups of beloved cultural icons, Hollywood tropes and retro clichés do not help cases of serious social strife such as that found outside our own doorstep in Santa Fe. Furthermore, Coco fails to examine the essential cultural tension between Native and Latino communities either here or in Mexico, so I do not think using the film as a starting point for analyzing our region’s racial strife is valid.
Disney-animated films are designed primarily for children and mass audiences; they are not known for addressing social-justice issues. For those who care about authentic stories that matter, there are dozens of madein-New Mexico films and documentaries that fit the bill (e.g., the film I served as editor for, Veiled Lightning). Rather than spending money on cartoons, one could search out authentic New Mexico films, books or artwork that address these issues.
In New Mexico, we are dealing with the hard realities of genocide and oppression, still percolating to this day. Breaking into song and dance about the colorful “Land of the Dead” depicted in neon glory by Disney animators does not substitute for the grim examination of our murderous past — for example, the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. A good Santa Fean should face the truth forthrightly: From the ruins of Oga’pogeh (the Tewa village ruins beneath the Plaza) to the turmoil surrounding the Entrada re-enactment during the Fiesta de Santa Fe, we can no longer push Native issues to the sidelines.
There must be a realization that Native peoples formed the bedrock of this town, and ignoring their demands for justice through mindless diversion and silence is not the answer. Instead, we must heed the steady drumbeat emanating from the Plaza — racial division is a problem in this community. From the eight arrests of protesters at the Fiesta de Santa Fe re-enactment of colonial reconquest to the continuing social ills in our town and state, we must keep the momentum going rather than waste time at the cineplex.
Our mayor has decided to be a one-termer. His prospective replacements have all gingerly avoided the Entrada issue in their campaign platforms. The head of the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts has bailed (“SWAIA head stepping down after turbulent 3-year tenure,” Dec. 19). The Fiesta Council president has finished his term.
The community has seemingly forgotten the issue of repayment of more than $87,000 in law enforcement costs necessitated by heavy-handed police tactics during the Entrada last year. The chief of police has gone to greener pastures. Despite requests from moral leaders of the pueblos and even the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, no plan is in place to address the problem of the Entrada, although some talks are taking place.
Rael-Gálvez is correct in reminding us that we should recount the “full story, where the truth of the past can be revealed,” but we can’t bridge the racial divide with a Disney movie.
Brian Fishbine, Ph.D., is a resident of Los Alamos.