This is a contest by on "What is your favorite Disney princess or Disney character and why?" Thanks for organising this contest, I thoroughly enjoyed writing this post 😊
Let me introduce my favorite Disney character; she is none other than Gramma Tala. She is one of the characters from Disney's 2016 cartoon movie Moana. Gramma Tala is known as Moana's grandmother and the mother to Chief Tui, the Chief of the Island Motunui. She has a fun and lively personality, and like Moana she loves the sea.
Now you might be thinking, she's not a princess, and certainly not a big part of the movie. That may be true, but if this was a princess movie, she'd be the queen. 😉
Why is she my favorite?
She loves well. As Moana's grandmother, she could have easily discouraged and play it strict with Moana, but since young Gramma Tala has had a great relationship with her granddaughter, mainly because of her strong love for her. She spends time with her, dances with her, gives her timely advice, challenges her and assures her even on her death bed that "there's nowhere you could go that I won't be with you..." I would like to love like she loves, to love strong and true.
She knows her roots. Instead of keeping it from her, Gramma Tala revealed the true identity of their people; they were voyagers. She sees Moana as a legacy. She also sees greatness in Moana, and isn't afraid to share her deepest love and concerns of their people to her, namely the curse that was set by Te Fiti, the goddess with the power to create life. She believed that Moana is chosen by the sea to find Maui and together restore the heart of Te Fiti in order to save their island from destruction. I want to believe in those whom I love, to see them achieve greatness in their lives and to never despise their youth. Greatness starts from believing and having faith even when we have yet to see it happen.
In a world filled with disappointment and discouragement, Gramma Tala appeared as one who holds on to her word. She appeared to Moana in her deepest need, while she was lost, in doubt and feeling hopeless. She became a strong pillar to Moana and even assured her that should she decide to go home, she'll be with her all the way, knowing well that Moana will not easily give up, instead what she needed was a reminder of who she truly was- the chosen one who will restore the heart of Te Fiti. In especially trying times, I hope to be someone who people will find strength in and be reminded that there is hope, no matter how hard the circumstances are.
She sees herself as the village's crazy lady. I can certainly relate with that, hah! Jokes aside, she's a person who knows how to have fun and relax. If there's one thing I'd like to take after her, is that to not take myself and others too seriously. Life is short and is filled with ups and downs, to have a bubbly and happy spirit helps us age gracefully and stay youthful at heart. In other words, cut some slack. I'd like to be able to joke and relate with my grandchildren someday, so this is definitely a great goal!
art and flair courtesy of @PegasusPhysics