Halloween and the Moana Problem

The Moana Problem disrupts Halloween for many parents. As good parents of a little white girl, they do not want her only to be interested in white princesses. Thankfully, there are many other choices like Moana. But here’s the problem that keeps such parents up at night: Halloween costumes.

Their little girl is so excited to dress up as Moana, but that is cultural appropriation. They tried explaining this to her. They sat little Sally down and said: you should like Moana but you can’t dress up like her because of whiteness. Sally insisted. Her friends all are going as Moana. Mommy and Daddy explained that her friends are part of structural racism. Sally locked eyes with them. All three knew this was the countdown to a temper tantrum. They only have moments to avoid it.

Let’s leave them to their family drama. For us, we need solutions. Thankfully, ASU’s Humanities Institute is all about problem solving. And I don’t mean silly made-up problems. I mean existential problems that challenge the very meaning of human existence. It has been offering solutions to cultural appropriation all semester

We need to just call it what it is. Sally is engaged in cultural appropriation. It isn’t innocent or cute. She will cause lasting harm by dressing up as Moana for her pre-school party. It needs to stop.