Abuela’s gift: what Disney’s Encanto teaches us about grandmothers

MIRABEL: Abuela.
I can finally see.
You lost your home.
Lost everything.
You suffered so much, all alone, so it would never happen again.
We were saved because of you.
We were given a miracle, because of you.
We are a family, because of you.
And nothing could ever be broken that we can’t fix… together.

In my house, we’ve been watching a lot of Disney’s Encanto and listening to its catchy soundtrack on repeat. My mom friends and I have been lamenting that we did not grow up in this era where the heroes of Disney stories have complicated feelings that focus on personal growth and authentic relationships. And with stories that don’t end with weddings. It’s an artistically beautiful, diverse and representative story of a multigenerational Latino family. Because of it we all now know the word oruguita — Spanish for caterpillar.

As a champion of changemaker grandmothers, I’m especially interested in the storyline of Alma Madrigal, or “Abuela.” The central grandmother figure is portrayed as a powerful, controlling matriarch obsessed with perfection and ignorant of the unhappiness of individual members of the family. So convincing is this portrayal that my 5 year old, even after several viewings, hides behind the couch during the opening song when Mirabel, the story’s central figure, is about to be disciplined by Abuela.

Abuela comes across early on in the film as unyielding and unchanging. This is a refrain we sometimes hear when we talk to organizations about the power that grandmothers and older women have within their families and communities. To some, the grandmother is a barrier to change. The mother-in-law harasses a son’s wife, or a grandmother is the leading force for early marriage or the perpetuation of other negative gender norms. But our experience, and a key message of the film, also tells us a grandmother’s influence is a power that can be harnessed for positive change.

In the film, Mirabel decides to do what none of the other family members can do — possibly because they are navigating their gifts and the responsibilities that come with them. She tells Abuela, “You’re wrong.” The wrongness is not in holding together the family and being focused on tradition. But Abuela is wrong in not letting her family members find their own paths to happiness and allowing them to make mistakes. She’s wrong for not accepting the inevitable change that comes with time, experience, new exposures, and a growing population. She reminds Abuela that one can hold on to the essence of community while embracing the change that comes with letting everyone make their own way in the world. In the face of this new knowledge and a changed perspective, Abuela reforms.

Encanto is a perfect illustration of what we know about grandmothers and why they can be such powerful assets and allies in support of a better world.

• Grandmothers are culture. We are defined by the people who came before us, the rituals, traditions, and worldviews. These create our sense of belonging and form our identities. Whether we honor them, adapt them or throw them out completely, the influence of our ancestors is a part of us. Abuela oversees the “coming of age” ceremony when the members of the magical family are given their gifts. It is a tradition that brings together the community and reinforces who they are. Without Abuela, there is no clear pathway to that connection.
• Grandmas are leaders. After a tragedy, Abuela does what generations of women have done: she regroups and builds something better and stronger than ever before. We are led to believe she could only do this through “The Miracle,” but in truth she herself has no magical gift. Indeed, her gift is to lead with vision, bringing her family and the wider community together to achieve it.
• Grandmothers are learners. After Mirabel confronts Abuela and tells her that the family is not happy, the two are able to have a breakthrough. Abuela tells Mirabel the family’s full history, linking the present to the beauty and tragedy of their past. In the process she is able to explain why she has been so focused on perfection. Mirabel is then able to show her all that she has achieved and how she can support a new generation to forge their own pathways. Abuela’s thinking evolves and enables her to return to the family with a new perspective.
• Grandmothers are changemakers. Abuela’s sense of duty and responsibility in the community is unmatched. When Abuela is brought on board, real change can happen which adapts culture and brings it forward. She is empowered to make lasting change.

Although, ostensibly, Encanto is about a strong and determined young woman who helps her family reconnect and rebuild after being broken by the expectations and burdens of perfection, it is the story of Abuela’s transformation that is most compelling. She changes. She adapts. She refocuses when there is new information. Our traditions will always evolve. The most lasting path to sustainable change is to ensure that all community members, young and old together, are part of the process. And grandmothers like Abuela are key leaders in that effort.

The Grandmother Collective was founded in 2021 as an association to connect, support and advocate for the advancement of grandmothers as resources in social and environmental development worldwide. Our member organizations meet monthly for learning and peer exchange and we will soon begin to host public forums for organizations interested in learning more about how to incorporate grandmother-inclusive programming into change initiatives. Learn more by following us on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook or by visiting our website: www.grandmothercollective.org.