Pua — which, by the way, means “flower” in the Hawaiian language, although the name of Moana's pet pig is actually derived from the Polynesian word “puaka,” which means “pork” or “pig” — is a yellow Labrador retriever.
Pigs (Pua'a in the Hawaiian language) were included as a valuable source of protein. Therefore, upon arrival, pigs were introduced to these newly discovered lands for the first time. To this day, feral pigs continue to thrive in Hawaii's ecosystem and can be found on all main islands except Lana'i.
Earlier drafts of Moana actually did feature Pua setting out on the adventure but screenwriter Jared Bush (Zootopia) felt it would be more stressful if Moana's best friend and source of comfort didn't come along. This made her journey more powerful when she succeeded.
Heihei is a bantam rooster. While most animal sidekicks in Disney princess movies, such as Maximus or Sven, are portrayed as unusually clever for their species with near-human intelligence, Heihei is the complete inversion of this trope, being incredibly stupid even by chicken standards.
One of the biggest complaints against Moana (in social circles that apparently get heated over Moana) is the oceanic dearth of Pua, the cute little piglet who provides deep companionship for Moana her entire life on Motunui… only to be left behind on the island when she finally embarks on her big adventure.
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!
Background: PUA is from the American English phrase “pick-up artist.” In Chinese internet slang, the acronym's meaning is much broader: to be “brainwashed” or “deceived.” It's used in the context of relationships, family, or work, with people often “PUA-ing” themselves. We discussed this in 3 December newsletter.
Puaʻa means “pig, swine, hog, pork.” And although it is a commonly used Hawaiian word, even in English conversation, it is often mispronounced. Say puaʻa as in kamapuaʻa.
In the Disney film Moana, the relationship between Moana and Maui is not romantic because Moana is a sixteen year old girl and Maui is thousands of years old. This is a step up from prior Disney movies.
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.
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.
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.
Disney's newest animated movie "Moana" includes a chicken with a low IQ named Heihei. Originally, the character was supposed to be a lot smarter. Heihei started out as "kind of a jerk."
It is a beautiful Hawaiian given name meaning "ocean, sea, or expanse of water." The name has been a firm favorite among Polynesian communities for years, gaining global popularity with the release of Disney's epic animated film in 2016.
In Moana, Heihei is a demi-god-chicken, tasked by the gods to help Moana. So Heihei is obviously an unusual chicken, but not just because he's stupid. Let's look at evidence: He is shown at the beginning when Moana is a baby, but appears the same age when she is an adult.
Originally Answered: How tall is Moana in the 2016 Disney animated film of the same name? Well, we can tell that a typical chicken is 16 inches tall. Based on this picture, Moana is four chickens tall. That would make her 64 inches tall, or 5′4″, which sounds about right for her.
