“Ohana”

The first Disney movie is Lilo and Stitch!

In case you have forgotten, the movie is about a little girl, Lilo, and her adopted “dog”, Stitch. Stitch is actually an alien, named “626”. 626 was created a monster with the sole intention of destroying everything in sight. The alien government decided this monster needed to be exiled because of his destructive tendencies. 626 ends up escaping and lands on earth. He is put in a puppy pound because of his animalistic features and that is where Lilo finds him. Lilo herself is an orphan who is being raised by her older sister, Nani. The struggle of raising her often troublesome, younger sister while maintaining a job is clearly evident as the social workers have Nani under investigation as Lilo’s guardian.

Throughout the movie, the theme of family is often seen. On multiple occasions this quote is proudly recited: “Ohana means family. And family means no one gets left behind or forgotten”. The first time we hear this quote, Nani was so upset with Stitch’s actions that she was about to throw him out of the house. However, she stops in her tracks when Lilo reminds her of “Ohana”. Lilo sternly informs her sister that Stitch became a part of the family once the adoption papers were signed. This shows that family isn’t temporary – once stitch became a part of the family, he will always remain a part of the family and love for him will be indefinite.

Lilo and Stitch end up going through a lot together; they encounter bullies, aliens trying to capture Stitch, the social workers, and a lot of mistakes along the way. However, the bond of “ohana” always keeps them together. Even in times where they felt lost or alone, Lilo and Stitch could always count on each other and Nani to be there. Stitch eventually comes to realize, “This is my family. I found it…It’s little and broken but still good”.

The biggest message I learned from Lilo and Stitch is even if we are feeling alone, forgotten, or left behind, we always have our family. What this “family” consists of is unique to every individual. Maybe your family contains the people you find at home (your brothers, sisters, parents and so on), or maybe it contains your teammates, or your high school and college best friends, or the people in your club or activity. As seen in the relationship with a little girl and space alien, it doesn’t matter who makes up your family, all that matters is that you find people in your life that you can share the bond of “ohana” with.

Sometimes with school work and all of the craziness in our lives, we forget the family we have accumulated over the years. When was the last time you talked to your best friend in elementary school best friend? Have you called your mom and dad recently? If “ohana” means “nobody gets left behind or forgotten”, then we need to keep these relationships strong. I challenge all of you to make an effort to strengthen your own families and ensure that through these next years you don’t leave anyone left behind or forgotten.

3 thoughts on ““Ohana”

  1. Will Smart

    Katie,

    Yooooooo! I can’t believe you this on Lilo and stitch. This was my movie( and t.v series) back in the day. Disney movies always have some cheesy theme behind them. But it is these cheesy themes that we always take for granted and over look in our lives. The concept of ohana is one of the most neglected and over looked yet in my opinion because we tend to take our family and friends for granted. Just as you said we don’t take the time out of our day to preserve or strengthen relationships with older friends and relatives. We should never take our relationships nor the people in the relationships for granted because family is all we have in this world. Thanks for bring up such a fundamental concept back to life by using one of my favorite movies.

    Will

  2. akd5254

    Katie,

    Disney movies always have very deep themes and give us role models with strong characters who care about things like family, friends, and justice. Honestly, I felt this one was a bit formulaic, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t entertaining. It seems to follow the formula of two misfit protagonists with little sense of a real family who bond together and find happiness. Some other recent examples are Wreck-It Ralph, Monsters Inc., and Ratatouille. Movies like this show us that no matter how lonely you feel, there will always be people who care for you. Sometimes, you don’t know where they are, but eventually, they will find you and you should embrace that. As you said, this is very relevant for us now that we are in college. Personally, I live about 10 minutes away from my house, so I go home to visit my family often — and not just to make them happy. My family is something I treasure just as the Disney movies taught us.

  3. anp5352

    Katie, growing up, Lilo and Stitch was one of my favorite Disney movies and tv shows. I can still remember Stitch’s adorable laugh and voice. However, as a child, I didn’t care to dissect the themes in Lilo and Stitch, but now that I’ve read your blog, it’s clear that there were a ton of hidden messages in the movie/show. The concept of “Ohana” is especially relevant to us as we progress through our first year of college. It’s so hard to lose track of all the friends we’ve made over the years and to keep in touch every one (especially family members who we’ve known all our lives). But, as Lilo and Stitch teaches us, no one should get left behind or forgotten. It’s never too late to rebuild burnt bridges, and to reconnect with people we don’t talk to or see regularly. Thanks for giving me an excuse to rewatch Lilo and Stitch, and thank for pointing out this wonderful quote/concept. Can’t wait to read the edition of your Disney blog!

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