Here comes a new challenger in the #disneywitches series ! Kida was done at the request of the lovely Kaitlyn :) I think this was my first time drawing her, ever !
I was asked if there was a model sheet for Kida’s queen outfit at the end of Atlantis. I found this original model sheet (top) among my piles as well as an earlier exploration of the costume (bottom). Hope this is helpful. Maybe I’ll see some Queen Kida cosplay at ComicCon this year? Here’s hopin’!
Anyone else grew up with a crush on this nerdy stud muffin and super turned on by his lanky physique when he went swimming with Kida in his boxers? No? Just me? Great thnx bai. #milothatch #disneybound from #atlantis for #disneyheroes day of the #disneyboundchallenge.
Kidagakash was Atlantian, and she was brown-skinned, but she was not Black. She was a woman of color, yes, but she was not Black. “Black“ is not interchangeable for anyone who is darker than snow white. ”Black“ is not simply being brown-skinned. Blackis being Black.
I don’t know much about Atlantis but the few things I have read are of Atlantis originating from or having ties to Africa. Critias said Atlanteans had conquered parts of Libya and Eygpt.
If people want to code Kida as Black, that’s alright with me.
Surely though, if Disney announced her as the first Black Princess back in 2001, people would be offended as her African heritage is not apparent and her skin is light. Only after Tiana, do people stretch and say she’s the first in defense of Disney’s lack of representation. There is actually some people who are proud of being represented by Nala rather Tiana, as Nala kept her “true Africanness throughout the film” while Tiana was a frog for majority.
While Atlantis is fictional like Maldonia. I think the reason why these people above thought Naveen was Black is because Fictional Country + Brown Skin = Black to them.
There are extensive mythos on Atlantis, and I haven’t read all of them but I do know that the Greeks believe that Atlantis was the realm of Poseidon and Cleito. Regardless, they are still myths and don’t have much to do with Disney’sportrayal of Kida, which was not being “Black”. Someone who is Black is someone who is of African descent; given that she is part of a mythical race of people, she isa woman of color because she is not White, but calling her “Black” is completely inaccurate, and diminishing Tiana’s role as the first Black princess is completely unfair.
Her not being Black has nothing to do with her skin color; I’ve seen Black people who are that light, but that doesn’t change the fact that Kidagakash is Atlantean. The Disney story was that Atlanteans were a human race like everyone else around 10000 B.C., but then a comet crashed and broke off a large chunk of Earth which fell into the sea; the people somehow adapted and built their fortress underwater. They were never meant to be Black, they were not presented as Black, because they are not Black by any means. They’re people of color, though fictionally, which is great in and of itself, but they are a fantasy race presented with 0 ties to Africa or any other continent for that matter.
Thus, like I said, I’m willing to smack anyone who says that Kidagakash was the ‘first Black princess’ and that Tiana shouldn’t be heralded as such because she was “second” or “typical”. Kidagakash is a wonderful character. I absolutely lover her, as I love Tiana. They were bothmonumental parts of my childhood—though one a LOT later—but taking away the fact that Kidagakash represented a strong, fantasy woman of color to diminish Tiana’s being Black is ridiculous. It’s not about being “truly African”, or skin color or whatever, it’s the fact that she wasn’t Black and was never presented as Black.
It robs the series of its diversity anyway, considering that Dr. Sweet was a non-stereotypical Black man who was unquestionably Black and not mixed, Audrey was unquestionably Latina and even spoke Spanish, and Kidagakash was the strong, woman of color deurotagonist who came from a fantasy race. That doesn’t mean she can’t be inspirational to women / girls of color, to me it means the opposite; making her “Black” just misses the point for me.
Very insightful, thank you for the correction!
May I just add that even though Princess Kida is ‘Atlantian,’ millennia of ancient lore depicted Atlantis at the Strait of Gilbatrar, which is where Spain and Africa meet.
Kida was also voiced by Cree Summer, an African American voice actress, who’s known for voicing Susan Charmichael in Rug Rats and Valerie Gray in Danny Phantom.
Both female characters were also established as African American.
A lot of the Atlantian culture Disney gave the animation was also inspired by multiple African ethnicities—especially their masks. I’m not labeling Kida as any race, those are just additional facts.
“We are not thriving. True, our people live, but our culture is dying. We are like a stone the ocean beats against. With each passing year a little more of us is worn away.” • • Who is your favorite character from Atlantis? • • Cosplay design by @gladzykei - @cerberus_fotos #kida #kidacosplay #kidaatlantis #atlantis #atlantiskida #atlantiscosplay #atlantisthelostempire #atlantisthelostempirecosplay #disney #disneyatlantis #disneyatlantiskida #disneyatlantisthelostempire #atlantisdisney #cosplays #cosplayer #cosplayers #cosplaying #cosplayphotography #cosplaygirl #cosplayphoto #cosplaylife #cosplayworld #cosplayway #cosplaygirls #cosplayersofinstagram #cosplaycommunity #girlswhocosplay #instacosplay #colossalcon #colossalcon2019 https://www.instagram.com/p/CAt52FPjc6N/?igshid=1ity0t875s12b
I gave myself the task of trying to re imagine the mythical island of Atlantis, with it’s rings, mysterious city and inhabitants. I did a bit of research and it turns out the story is even more interesting that I what I knew. The following is the result, after a bit of artistic license :)
