Decoding the Cultures of Raya and the Last Dragon
I remember being pretty pumped about this film when the trailer dropped. So many visual nods to traditional Filipino clothing, weaponry, and other items. But was she actually supposed to be Filipina? She also eats Thai looking food, brandishes an Indonesian sword, and is voiced by a Vietnamese American actress. It’s never clearly stated.
And this ambiguity raises more questions. Is this a positive thing that pushes a pan-Southeast Asian unity? Another lumping of cultures that doesn’t acknowledge their diversity?
The waters that flow through the region both connect and divide, and its national borders don’t tell the full story. I made a video to explore some of these themes.
Do check this out on YouTube for the full deep dive, where I’m less limited by IGTV length limits.