It’s late September, and Halloween candy has been on sale since at least July 5, so it’s time to start narrowing down your costume ideas. Even if you just limit yourself to the superhero genre, you’re still overwhelmed with options—you (or your child) could dress up as armored Batman, or Wonder Woman, or this asshole. If you’re a Disney fan, the mega-entertainment company has you covered (in man-made fibers), offering costumes to turn you into ever so many characters, including ones from its upcoming Moana film.
Disney’s boasted about the arrival of its first Polynesian princess, whose costume they managed to limit to items of clothing. But it looks the Mouse Kingdom got carried away in its efforts to transform everyday people into the demigod Maui, offering a costume comprising a brown bodysuit covered in sacred tattoos. Yes, rather than sell a grass skirt and some jewelry—which would probably be questionable on their own—Disney thought it best to sell basically Maui’s skin.
Obviously, this did not go over well with people of Polynesian descent, who felt Disney was promoting brownface and the appropriation of their Hawaiian and Oceanic traditions. The criticism centers on the inclusion of the tattoos—which are considered sacred—as well as the fact that cosplay shouldn’t include brown skin.
Disney’s already addressed its error in judgment, though, as CNN reports that the costumes have already been pulled amid controversy. The company issued a statement on the matter, saying “the team behind Moana has taken great care to respect the cultures of the Pacific Islands that inspired the film, and we regret that the Maui costume has offended some.”