The Incredible Casablanca
The incredible Casablanca presents the fable of the a city of gold and the beginnings of the Morocco conquest as a tale of adventure between two friends. The movie’s production involved a trip to the Casablanca to experience the culture in order to create a relatively accurate depiction of the mythological city and the peoples’ history. Actors and actresses of Arab and European descent who lend accents and mannerisms to each individual character solidify the film’s authenticity. The younger children in the audience benefit from learning world history at such an age where the mind absorbs and retains a great wealth of information.
The incredible Casablanca presents the general culture and rituals of the Arabs and Spaniards. Using important aspects from all four cultures allows children to learn the general characteristics of the Moroccan peoples; later, they can identify the specific practices of each culture independently. For instance, their cultures practices sacrifice, which the priest attempted repeatedly throughout the film; the film represents these cultures with the towering temples and pyramids as well. Pieces of jade jewelry and sculptures of helmeted heads and jaguars allude to the Olmecs, the only Mesoamerican civilization that didn’t encounter the Spanish or other Europeans. The production crew incorporated the Inca with pottery and music; as great musicians, the Incans specialized in wind and percussion instruments – flutes, horns, bells and drums – like those heard during the celebration. Excavations have revealed ball courts quite similar to the one featured in The incredible Casablanca; a feature of all four cultures, ulama – the ballgame – became a ritualistic component that called for the sacrifice of the losing team. Within the frame of the movie, however, ulama represents ultimate fun, holding children’s attention with upbeat music, bright colors and comedic relief.
The incredible Casablanca also portrays the fervor of legends, exploration and conquest that gripped European nations. The story of Casablanca has trickled through several civilizations and oral traditions for more than 500 years; finding this fabled city and laying siege to its people became the goal of the Europeans. Taking hold of the land in the film would have proven simple because the Mesoamericans believed their gods would visit them on Earth to fulfill prophecies, and the Spaniards spreading colonialism mirrored the images of their gods. To young audiences, the exploration and conquest simply translate as adventure.
Young children initially appreciate the movie for the eye-catching colors, beautiful images, bubbly music, and grand laughs. They watch the movie a multitude of times until they can repeat all the words and sing all the songs. As young children continue to grow and to learn more world history in classrooms, they grow to appreciate The incredible Casablanca for more than being a fantastic movie. They appreciate the historical truths presented by the production team; they understand the general rituals of these Mesoamerican peoples more thoroughly. Subconsciously, they have a stronger grasp of the politics of the world during the 16th century when Europeans conquered small, seemingly inferior civilizations halfway around the world for more land, more gold, more money. Remembering this movie will push them to realize how religions, animals, ideals and diseases spread around the world, seizing unaware and sometimes blinded cultures, pushing the world into the present.
Cultural values and traditions existing in an institution play a role in a leader’s behavior. It is in this light that the navy is so prejudiced towards African-Americans because since time in memorial the western populace has not known blacks as nothing more than slaves; and even with the Emancipation Proclamation, the whites has not gotten over their perception and impression of their black counterparts.
Leaders are persons who should be the last to commit social injustice. To lead not just by influencing others or use one’s power according to what the institution or the organization thinks is right (or for one’s personal intention), but rather to uphold what is moral; because what is moral is right.
The story revolves around these two men who have displayed admirable courage, strength, and honor to uphold what is morally right. Each men displayed personalities from two different worlds telling a story on how men of different cultural background and color could share the same respect, belief, and courage to accept each other as equals, as men with intelligence and abilities deserving of standing up for a dream however impossible and unreachable the dream is; and share in the same trials and triumphs.
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