World Ocean Day Reflection On The Little Mermaid
Last week, I went to a local movie theater to catch a last opportunity to watch Super Mario Brothers. To my disappointment, this movie was no longer being screened there. However, the cheery cashier informed me that The Little Mermaid was premiering that evening, so I decided to see that one instead.
As there were only two other couples in the theater, which in one sense made the experience more exclusive, but, in another sense, it made me wonder about the source of the low viewership. In the era following our collective time indoors, these types of activities have been less popular, and with the warmer weather, people are probably choosing to go outside more. According to box office statistics, this movie has earned over $300 million already, though, it seems that this hype was lacking in my corner of the world.
The BlackLash of Representation
Seeing the representation of Ariel, as a Black mermaid with ginger hair, I was reminded of the very racist backlash that emerged when Halle Bailey was revealed as the protagonist. I had read many headlines that questioned whether a fictional sea creature could be portrayed by a racialized woman as well as some that even protested the casting decision, claiming that Black redheads do not exist. The vitriol was almost non-sensical to me because as a descendent of Eastern Caribbean enslaved peoples, with Irish heritage, Black redheads exist in my family. I almost wish this ignorance and lack of imagination was not commonplace in aqueous affairs, but as a Black Marine Spatial Planner, I can attest that these attitudes, rooted in white supremacy, felt very familiar.
After seeing the movie and doing some light Google-ing, I am more convinced than ever that Black mermaids should be celebrated. Most coastal cultures revere a sacred water being, including African, Caribbean and African American folklore. Mermaids are associated with shipwrecks, which, as we learn in the Enslaved mini-series, happened frequently during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade era. It could be quite healing to imagine the possibility that the victims lost at sea, could transcend to a more peaceful underwater world to live as mer-people. Ariel represented by a Black actress also probably shocked people because of the existence of the stereotype that Black people and water do not mix. From my observations, whether it be water-related sports, professions, or even arts and entertainment the lack of Black representation. In my opinion, this depiction of Ariel underscores that although these spaces may sometimes be homogenous, the water belongs to all of us.
On a slightly different note, in the original animated version the iconic voice of Sebastian the Crab was that of an African-American actor, Samuel E. Wright. With this project, an opportunity was missed to employ a Caribbean actor in the role, rather than an American actor with a weak command of patois. Although crabs don't usually speak, this movie squandered the opportunity to (1) more authentically capture Sebastian's culturally nuanced essence, and (2) platform an underrepresented group in media.
Biodiversity “Under The Sea”
The entire movie is peppered with striking and biodiverse visuals of seascapes. The live-action aspects make Ariel’s interactions with the sea creatures appear more realistic and less whimsical when compared to the animated original. Within this creative portrayal, characters such as Ursula, her eels, and the shark that chases Ariel during the lead-in scene to the song ‘Part of Your World’ are portrayed as more sinister and aggressive. Animals such as sharks have long been villainized in media with movies such as Jaws increasing people’s negative perception which has indirect impacts on species decline.
The Little Mermaid original animated version with colourful underwater scenery
I noted that the creative decision-making around representing the underwater environment realistically made these scenes quite dark and muted. In contrast, the animated version has an emphasis on the colourful and abundant sea life depicted, which perhaps points to shifting baselines syndrome. This phenomenon describes how we are generationally becoming desensitized to environmental degradation. Since the late 1980s when the animated version of The Little Mermaid was first released, the health status of our ocean has gravely declined, which is probably the reason why there is a more optimistic and abundant sentiment in the underwater scenes in comparison with the more recent version that feels emptier. Although the scenery was beautiful, there is an acknowledgment of humans’ impact on life below water. This movie successfully interrogates the theme of human connections to the water world, which is a topic I am endlessly fascinated by and is the raison d'être for Eau dacite.
Is The Seaweed Always Greener In Somebody Else’s Lake?
At the outset of the movie, Ariel is banned from going to the surface, partially as punishment for being tardy to the Coral Moon celebration with her sisters, but also because her father, the king, views the surface as dangerous. This is an effective punishment because Ariel is obsessed with humans. These opposing views on the terrestrial world from underwater dwellers are perhaps indicative of a fearful curiosity of the aquatic life towards the above-water life. Ariel is physically tailored to navigate both worlds and thus serves as the optimal broker to connect land to sea. The scene where the King comments on the damage caused to the coral by the shipwreck offers a commentary on the human impacts on ecosystems, whether intentional or not.
Cyrielle Noël representing Eau daCité at the UN Water Conference (March, 2023)
Through my work, I have come to consider that as land-based mammals, humans have a limited understanding of offshore environments. From my perspective as a planner, the source of urbanization is water. A large percentage of major cities are coastal because historically waterways served as an effective transportation system. Interestingly, most urban waterways are degraded. I find it ironic that although human settlements emerge from waterways because we are often disconnected in various forms from this source, we have come to degrade a realm in which we do not inhabit. In the movie, these reflections are echoed by the Queen who lives on land, around the apex of the film, when she states: “Our worlds have misunderstood each other for so long.” I believe to address this paradox; humans need to re-connect to the waterways and improve their relationship with these spaces. Watching Ariel living her life both under and above the sea demonstrates the interconnectedness of these both realms.
Youth-led protest against deep-sea mining in Vancouver, Canada (January, 2023)
It is encouraging that there is more attention being devoted to water issues such as pollution and degradation in both fresh and marine contexts. I have also noticed an uptick in water-focused content in the zeitgeist. The Little Mermaid, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Avatar: The Way of Water and even Netflix’s most recent Mer-People are examples of in popular media. This mirrors trends observed in the UN, which is spearheading the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). In March 2023, the UN Water Conference was hosted for the first time in 46 years. This attention, while necessary for improving the environmental quality of our blue spaces, it is necessary to analyze the recent convergence of interest toward our ocean.
In Little Mermaid, Ariel yearns to go to the surface, and now humans are yearning to explore the deep sea. Is attraction due to the fallacy of the grass being greener in somebody else’s lake? Is our motivation for “exploration” due to an innocent curiosity or is it driven by an opportunity for territorial “expansion”? With emerging disciplines like marine spatial planning moderating the increase in coastal and offshore development and economic activities, it is interesting to consider whether our expansion and associated degradation of oceanic environments bear any resemblance to the colonial exercise. With the mounting pressure for the commercialization of deep-sea mining, this type of storytelling could be a useful tool to connect viewers to the underwater world, nurture empathy, and provide an understanding of the blue perspective. There exists a potential to influence the collective consciousness about ocean and freshwater issues that could spur action.
If you read this far, I wish you a happy World Ocean Day! I would also be curious to hear your reflections on The Little Mermaid, or responses to any other observations shared here.