Moana's home island, Motunui, is fictional, but the production team drew a map of Moana's journey (which can be found in the book The Art of Moana) that places Motunui east of Tonga, near the real-world location of Niue. Te Fiti's island was based on Tahiti.
Maui (/maʊwiː/) is a fictional character from Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated film Moana. Created by directors Ron Clements and John Musker, and voiced by Dwayne Johnson, Maui is loosely based on Māui from Hawaiian mythology.
Moana is set on the fictional island of Motunui in the Pacific Ocean and draws inspiration from elements of the real-life island nations of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.
Whilst the character is entirely fictional, it's interesting to note that the name Tamatoa actually means “trophy” in the Maori language. This is very apt because Tamatoa is all about collecting treasure and souvenirs from the people he has defeated.
Some enjoy the movie but believe Maui should have been portrayed as a warrior. "As a proud Polynesian woman, it's not often that you see a film like Moana come out. It headlines our Pasifika culture, and it's lead by our Polynesian artists in the industry.
EXPLORiNG iSLANDS with ADLEY!! Board my Boat and Sail across the Sea with my Family! Moana Makeover
Is Moana supposed to be Hawaiian or Samoan?
Although Moana is from the fictional island Motunui some 3,000 years ago, the story and culture of Moana is based on the very real heritage and history of Polynesian islands such as Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, and Tahiti. In fact, once you start looking for ties to Polynesian culture in Moana, it's hard to stop!
The arrival of fast food restaurants and other contemporary food items on the islands are one of the issues responsible for the obesity in Samoa. The earliest photographs of Samoans provide visual proof of the native population's natural physique before the introduction of processed foods by Western society.
Does Te Fiti exist in real life? Te Fiti is not a real place. However, the creators of Moana did base Te Fiti on Tahiti, the largest island in French Polynesia.
Te Fiti does not exist in Polynesian mythology, but there is a goddess of fire, lightning, wind, and volcanoes called Pele. The spiral on Te Fiti's heart, Moana's necklace, and on the sail of her boat is called a koru. Te Fiti slightly resembles the Spring Sprite from the Firebird Suite segment in Fantasia 2000.
5) In the film's novelization, Moana's age is given as 16. This makes her the only Disney princess to be voiced by an actress younger than herself. Moana was released on Cravalho's 16th birthday.
But it's great to see that their relationship never even touches the possibility of romance. Instead, their bond is one first of adversaries, then one of comrades working together on a team. They face their own ups and downs, but Maui remains Moana's friend through it all.
The story of the demigod Maui stretches across the Pacific and is estimated to be over 1000 years old. Always on a quest to empower mankind, Maui has become an endearing icon to the people of Polynesia.
Moana's age, 16, is less of an issue in her story as it doesn't include a romantic plot, but it still relies on a young girl to overcome dangerous challenges and save the world. Disney princesses have always had an age problem, with characters as young as 14 falling in love, defying parents, and getting married.
They were given an official number in the franchise line-up based on the chronological order in which their films were released, starting with Snow White as the first and original Disney Princess, with Cinderella being the second, followed by Aurora and so on.
Though Moana and Te Fiti aren't related by blood like Anna and Elsa, the sacrifice underscores the large role nature plays in the film. “The idea that what we perceive as the villain of the film is actually 'nature wronged' was always an idea that we had, and wanted to build toward,” Shurer said.
The theory is that there is a barrier between the spiritual, mystical world and the real world, with Maui's island located in the former. In order for Moana to get there (and return the relic stolen from the goddess Te Fiti) she has to die, too.
Māui is a character from Māori and Polynesian mythology. Though the stories about him do sometimes differ, he is consistently depicted as a clever, talented trickster. He's a demi-god, and he has supernatural powers, but still looks human. According to legend, Māui was a premature baby.
The two most significant parts of Moana's journey, her learning wayfinding and her relationship with Maui, were drawn from Polynesian history and inspired by their mythology. Thanks to the Oceanic Trust however, there are many other details that enrich Moana's story.
Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders were three times more likely to be obese than the overall Asian American population in 2014. Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders were 80 percent more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic whites in 2016.
He is one of the highest paid actors in the world and we are proud that he is Samoan. Dwayne Johnson is talented, handsome, funny, and an all around bad ass. Johnson moved from Football to Wrestling to the big screen and is the most famous Samoan to date.
56.4% were overweight, with a Body Mass Index of 25 or greater. 22.7% were obese, with a Body Mass Index of 30 or greater. 32.9% of adults reported having consumed fruits at the recommended level of 2 or more times per day.
