Ohana Under Scrutiny: How Lilo & Stitch Redefined Hawaiian Representation in Film

Ohana Means Family: How Lilo & Stitch Transformed Disney’s Portrayal of Cultural Identity

When the original animated Lilo & Stitch premiered in 2002, it stood apart from Disney’s usual fairy tale formula. There were no princesses, no castles, and no conventional happily-ever-afters. Instead, audiences were introduced to a realistic portrayal of a struggling Hawaiian family: Lilo, a socially awkward young girl dealing with the loss of her parents, and her older sister Nani, suddenly thrust into the role of guardian while trying to maintain stable employment.

The film’s setting wasn’t a generic tropical paradise but specifically Kauai, Hawaii—with its distinctive landscapes, cultural practices, and community dynamics portrayed with unusual authenticity for a major studio animation. From the inclusion of Hawaiian language and music to depictions of everyday life for working-class Hawaiians, the film avoided the tourist-brochure depiction that had defined Hawaii in mainstream media for decades.

Representation That Resonated

For many viewers of Pacific Islander descent, seeing their culture represented with such care was revolutionary. Unlike the generic “tropical island” settings in many animations, Lilo & Stitch captured specific Hawaiian cultural elements:

• The concept of ‘ohana (family) as extending beyond blood relations
• The practice of hula as a profound cultural expression rather than tourist entertainment
• Local community dynamics and economic realities of life in Hawaii
• The incorporation of authentic Hawaiian music, including Lilo’s love for Elvis

This cultural specificity didn’t alienate mainstream audiences but rather drew them in. The film grossed over $273 million worldwide, proving that authentic cultural representation could drive significant commercial success.

The Remake Controversy: Who Tells Hawaii’s Story?

The upcoming live-action remake has sparked important conversations about representation, particularly regarding casting decisions. The selection of Sydney Agudong as Nani has become a focal point of these discussions. While some celebrate that Agudong was raised in Hawaii, others have raised concerns about the adequacy of representation when actors may not be of indigenous Hawaiian descent.

This debate highlights a broader issue in Hollywood: the severe underrepresentation of Pacific Islanders in film. A 2021 study revealed that only 44 out of 1,300 films made in the 13 years prior featured Asians and Pacific Islanders in lead roles. For Native Hawaiians specifically, opportunities have been even more limited.

As Native Hawaiian resident Pualelea Panaewa told Hawaii Public Radio, “Growing up, I didn’t get to see people who looked like me or who had the same experiences as me on screen.” This lack of representation drives Panaewa’s own aspirations to become a filmmaker who can tell authentic stories from her culture.

The Changed Ending: Family Separation and Healthcare Policy

Perhaps most controversially, the remake includes significant narrative changes that have deeper implications about family separation and healthcare access. In the new version, a pivotal plot point involves Nani potentially relinquishing custody of Lilo to ensure her sister has access to healthcare through Medicaid.

This alteration has sparked heated discussions about how the film portrays state intervention in family matters. In the original, the threat of family separation was presented unambiguously as something to fight against. The remake’s more nuanced—some would say problematic—approach suggests situations where such separation might be portrayed as a responsible choice.

Critics argue this fundamentally undermines the original’s central message about ‘ohana and could inadvertently normalize family separation policies that have historically impacted indigenous and marginalized communities disproportionately.

Colonialism Through a Disney Lens

Both the original film and its remake exist within a complex historical context regarding Hawaii’s relationship with the United States. The Hawaiian Kingdom was overthrown in 1893 with U.S. military support, leading to eventual annexation. This colonial history creates a fraught backdrop for any mainstream American studio attempting to tell Hawaiian stories.

Local scholars have pointed out that while Lilo & Stitch incorporates many authentic cultural elements, it still filters Hawaiian experiences through an American corporate lens. The tourism industry that drives Hawaii’s economy—and which forms the backdrop of struggling service jobs in the film—itself exists as a result of colonization processes.

The remake has attempted to address some of these concerns by reportedly including Hawaiian voices in the scriptwriting process. However, tensions remain about the commodification of Hawaiian culture in film and tourism, particularly when Disney stands to generate significant merchandise sales (the original film generated approximately $2.6 billion in merchandise alone).

Beyond Representation: Creating Industry Change

The conversations surrounding Lilo & Stitch highlight a crucial point: representation on screen remains incomplete without representation behind the camera. The need for diverse storytellers extends beyond simply casting actors of appropriate backgrounds.

Filmmaker Taika Waititi, who is of Māori descent, has been cited as an example of how indigenous directors can break through industry barriers. His success indicates promising progress, but Pacific Islander filmmakers remain severely underrepresented in Hollywood’s directing and producing ranks.

The success of the original Lilo & Stitch did not immediately translate to more films centered on Pacific Islander experiences. In fact, it would be nearly two decades before Disney would release another animated film with Polynesian characters in Moana (2016), suggesting that even massive commercial success doesn’t guarantee sustained industry change.

Why Cultural Authenticity Matters

Why does it matter if Lilo & Stitch gets Hawaiian culture “right”? Beyond basic respect, authentic cultural representation carries tangible impacts:

• For children from represented communities: Seeing themselves and their experiences validated in mainstream media contributes to positive identity formation.
• For children from majority cultures: Exposure to authentic portrayals of diverse communities builds empathy and understanding.
• For industries: Successful culturally specific stories demonstrate the commercial viability of diverse narratives.
• For cultural preservation: Accurate portrayals help preserve cultural knowledge and combat stereotypes.

As one commenter noted on social media, “I still remember how it felt seeing characters who looked like my family on screen for the first time. For kids today, that matters even more.”

Looking Forward: The Legacy of Lilo & Stitch

Whatever the reception of the remake, the legacy of Lilo & Stitch as a cultural milestone seems secure. Its approach to representing Hawaii with specificity rather than generality set a standard that influenced later Disney productions like Moana and encouraged more nuanced cultural portrayals across the animation industry.

The heated discussions surrounding the remake demonstrate that audiences increasingly expect and demand authentic cultural representation. The days when studios could present generic, tourist-postcard versions of cultures without criticism are thankfully fading.

As we look to future films featuring underrepresented cultures, the lessons of Lilo & Stitch remain relevant: Cultural specificity enhances storytelling rather than limiting it. Authentic representation requires input from community members. And perhaps most importantly, ‘ohana—in its broadest sense of community and belonging—remains a universal value that resonates across cultural boundaries.

For a film about a destructive alien finding his place in the world, Lilo & Stitch has constructed something remarkably enduring: a blueprint for how mainstream entertainment can honor specific cultural identities while creating stories with universal appeal. In that sense, its influence continues to extend far beyond Hawaii’s shores.