In the winter of 2009, Disney debuted its first Black princess. As a quirky and artistic eight-year-old Black girl myself, I had no idea what to expect but was in awe when I first watched the film. I was amazed to see that a young Black woman could not only be regal but could also pursue her own career. I was transfixed as Young Tiana learned to make her family’s recipe of gumbo alongside her parents. A nod to a future wave of feminism, Tiana was ambitious and did not need a man or a prince to secure her happiness. I saw my reflection in her dedication to her family, food, and securing her future. What captivated me most about the Disney film was more than just Tiana’s skin color, but the fact that Disney included important aspects of her Southern upbringing through her cooking.
Princess Tiana’s role in New Orleans culture
I fondly remember seeing Tiana serve her signature dish, beignets, fancy square doughnuts covered in copious amounts of sugar. I furiously studied the film, learning the lyrics to “Almost There” as I watched Tiana make her famous family gumbo alongside other dishes, serving her community as a bright jazz chorus accompanied her. It seemed to me that the gumbo was a symbol of her ancestry and the Creole cuisine. By keeping the recipe alive in her restaurant, she would keep her legacy alive.
However, it was not until university that I started to make connections from what I learned about the Black and African Diaspora to the Black American cuisine and ultimately realized the importance of its authentic representations, especially in cinema. I learned that the word gumbo is West African and that many dishes from New Orleans are inspired by African and Spanish flavors. As a young Black woman with aspirations in concentrations of studio art and film, I realized every aspect of representation could be transformative.
Food, itself in particular, has been a point of contention in the film as it can exacerbate stereotypes surrounding certain groups of people. For Black folks, the overwhelming portrayal of fried chicken in pop culture and media or the racist history associated with watermelon are just some of the many stereotypes that are not only harmful but take away from the historical significance of food within Black culture. While The Princess and The Frog might not have reframed the limited definition of Black cuisine completely, Disney did garner my attention to aspects of New Orleans culture that I was not previously aware of through the jazz influence, the food creations, and the time period.
The importance of cultural foods in film
I had a similar experience when I first saw the short film Bao. While initially not having any strong ties to the film, I was simply astounded by the artistic storytelling and the brilliant use of a dumpling as a representation of letting go and motherhood.
Since my time at university, I have been able to connect with students from different cultures and have been equally inspired to learn more through sharing a meal. One of my friends is half-Chinese and she has shared many stories about her mom’s recipes and making traditional dishes like dumplings as a celebration. I found myself slowly becoming more familiar with Chinese culture through our conversations. My interest was piqued and when I revisited the short film, I learned that Domee Shi, who made her directorial debut with Bao, was inspired by her mother for the techniques of kneading dough and making the dumplings. Other recipes such as stir-fry green beans and bok choy were inspired by Shi’s childhood memories and her background as a Chinese-Canadian.
I cemented my love for art when I saw Raya and The Last Dragon. It was one of the first films I saw as I entered young adulthood where the cinematic use of magical realism literally transported me to another place. I felt like a child again immersed in bold color hues, delightful dishes, and learning about different cuisines with various Southeast Asian influences. The plot and message of the film promote unity, peace, and trust. Though they are not easily attainable, they are most often achieved through breaking bread. One of the most memorable scenes is between Raya and her father as they cook together. Her father, Chief Benja or Ba, as she refers to him, makes a meal called Tom Yum using ingredients from each of the five factions in their fictional nation, Kumandra. He uses shrimp paste from Tail, lemongrass from Talon, bamboo from Spine, chili from Fang, and palm sugar from Heart. As a symbol of community and camaraderie, food in this film reflects the strength of individuals being able to have conversations and create meaningful memories. By the end of the film, I had drawn fan art doodles on the margins of notebooks for class. I started to notice the beauty of different cultures through the food they ate in film. I fully realized the importance of learning and understanding different cultures.
When I watched Encanto for a review for my college newspaper, I was captivated by the attention to detail and moreover, by the connection to Colombian culture. While I kept the focus of my review on the representation of a multigenerational family and trauma, I also found inspiration in Mirabel’s unique relationship with her family’s cooking, particularly her mother. During one scene, Mirabel cuts her hand and eats her mom’s arepas con queso, which miraculously heals. On the surface, this scene was just an example of a superpower that Mirabel’s mom, Julietta, was born with but upon further reflection, I realized this was a metaphorical representation of food’s healing power.
As an artist and journalist, I know that food and culture is always going to have a prominent place in my life. As a visual learner, seeing beautiful stories that allow me to connect with my family, my peers, and my larger community is so amazing. Each of the films I have watched has curated a sense of belonging for folks within a particular culture. My first time watching The Princess and the Frog is something I’ll never forget. My ability to find connections to culture through food has been transformative because not only am I becoming more culturally aware but also expanding my cuisine too. There are endless possibilities of storytelling with food and I, for one, can not wait to see more stories, more culture, and more food representation in film.