Moana...A Movie with Some Culture

“Sometimes our strengths lie beneath the surface…Far beneath, in some cases.” -Moana

Characters can sometimes come from out of thin air and imagination, like Mickey Mouse. Some characters are brought to life with the help of some research and culture. One of these amazing stories comes from the movie and character Moana.

Moana is a story about a young girl who is about to be crowned chief of her village. She goes on an adventure and must return the heart of Te Fiti that was once stolen by Maui to restore the wildlife of her home Motonui. Her journey ends with meeting Te Ka, a lava monster who wants the heart. The movie itself is an incredible feat. But how did this character get its start?

Let’s talk about the cultural aspects of the film. The name Moana is based on a Polynesian term meaning “Ocean”. And in the film, Moana is seen finding canoes that were hidden from the village. These canoes were special voyaging canoes used to travel to different islands. This gives a retrospect to the history of Polynesian culture.

You can learn a lot about a culture based on the music. There is so much music in the film that involves rich language. In the scene where Moana gets to see the ancestors through the use of huge canoes, we get a song about how they were voyagers. The music in translation means “We know the ways of the sea / We look to the stars and other signs to find our way”. This film also talks about the art of wayfinding, a way of figuring out where you are without a map or compass and using where you have been.

Moana has always been one of my favorite movies based on the story and the music itself. It is a positive uplifting story about a young woman coming into her own. The empowering song “I am Moana” gives a taste of someone who looks back at their history and realizes they can do anything they set their mind to. Learning about the film gives a clear understanding and provides us with an insight into Polynesian culture and myths. The movie portrays Maui as a strong individual whereas Maui in folklore is portrayed as a teen going into manhood.

Disney finds a way to create a story that features a new level of inclusivity in the year 2016. In the long run of Disney history, there are now princesses that come from Polynesian, Arabian, Latina, Chinese, African American, and Native American descent.

What should the next Disney Princess be?