The animated Disney film, Moana, called Vaiana in the French version, was inspired by The Islands of Tahiti. Disney's creative team visited the islands of Moorea, Tahiti and Huahine, which was the inspiration for the character Te Fiti. Follow our visitor's guide in the footsteps of Moana.
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.
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!
In Walt Disney Animation Studios' all-new epic animated musical, Moana 2, three years since her first voyage, Moana is on an expansive journey in search of people beyond the shores of Motunui. Moana 2 opens in theaters on Nov. 27, 2024.
Māui or Maui is the great culture hero and trickster in Polynesian mythology. Very rarely was Māui actually worshipped, being less of a deity (Demigod) and more of a folk hero. His origins vary from culture to culture, but many of his main exploits remain relatively similar.
Moana as she appears in Moana (2016). Inspired by Polynesian mythology, Moana is depicted as the strong-willed daughter of a chief of a Polynesian village, who is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with the goddess Te Fiti.
For “Moana,” the filmmakers traveled to the Pacific and met with anthropologists, historians, fisherman and linguists, part of what they came to call the Oceanic Story Trust. The fictional movie takes place 3,000 years ago in the islands of Polynesia, an area that includes Hawaii, Tonga and Tahiti.
One particularly dark theory posits that Moana actually died during the storm at the beginning, and that was why she encountered the demigod Maui when she washed up on the island he had been trapped on for millennia.
Like Moana and Maui, Te Fiti is connected to the film's overarching theme of identity. After losing her heart, Te Fiti is blinded by anger and rage as she smites the world in an act of vengeance.
At 16 years old, Moana of Motunui has a slender yet muscular build that sets her apart from previous Disney princesses and heroines. She has brown eyes with thick eyebrows and eyelashes, full brownish-pink lips, and long, wavy, black hair.
Tui Waialiki is a supporting character in Disney's 2016 animated feature film Moana. He is the village leader of Motunui, and the father of Moana. Tui was an aspiring voyager in his youth, but after experiencing a traumatic event, developed aquaphobia and forbade his people from journeying beyond his island's reef.
Release. Moana 2 is scheduled to be released in theaters on November 27, 2024. A sneak peek at the film is set to screen at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on June 14, 2024.
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.
Among the iwi of New Zealand, Hina is usually considered to be either the elder sister or the wife of Māui. The most common story that presents Hina as the wife of Māui tells of Te Tunaroa, the father of all eels, who one day visited the pool where Hina bathed.
And Maui's father, whose name was Makea-tu-tara welcomed him and took him to cleanse him from all impurities and perform the sacred rituals over him, so that the gods would keep Maui safe. So Maui discovered where his mother and his father lived.
DiscussingFilm, a reliable source for film updates, has confirmed that Frozen 3 is set to hit theaters in 2026. While the specific release date within the year remains elusive, fans can anticipate a cinematic return at some point during this timeline.
Zendaya is not confirmed to be a part of the live-action Moana remake cast. Few updates have happened since Dwayne Johnson's announcement of a live-action Moana movie in 2023. The cast has not been announced, but Auli'i Cravalho (original voice of Moana) has been revealed to be sitting out of the film.
Moana isn't suitable for children under the age of 8 years. We recommend parental guidance for children aged up to 10 years because of the movie's violent and scary scenes. The main messages from this movie are to follow your dreams and be true to yourself.
