Maui, for example, is a real demigod in Polynesian culture who works toward the good of humankind. He is normally depicted as a teenage boy, except in the movie. Maui is portrayed as an overweight and unintelligent man in the movie, which is an offensive image of the culture.
When designing Maui, the team researched athletes such as football players, wrestlers, and men with massive physiques. One source of inspiration was Dwayne Johnson's late grandfather High Chief Peter Maivia, who was also a professional wrestler like Johnson and an actual Samoan high chief.
In "Moana" (2016), Maui's visual appearance is partly modeled on Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's grandfather, Samoan-American professional wrestler Peter Maivia.
Te Fiti is a major character in Disney's 2016 animated feature film Moana. She is a goddess with the power to create life—an ability that she used to create the islands of Polynesia. After her heart had been stolen by Maui, she became Te Kā, a demon of earth and fire and the main antagonist of the film.
Maui appears as a main character in the 2016 Disney 3D computer-animated musical film Moana, in which he is voiced by Dwayne Johnson. Abandoned by his human parents as a baby, the gods took pity on him and made him a demigod and gave him a magic fishhook that gives him the ability to shape-shift.
|•Moana’s parents react to her•|anairou #moana #parents #reaction
Who is Maui's wife?
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.
To do this, he needed a strong rope and lasso, which is mother and grandmother provided for him. After studying the ways of the sun, Maui climbed to the top of Haleakalā (house of the rising sun), and lassoed the sun. The sun was caught and could not hurry across the sky.
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.
The chiefs wife is not Moanas mother. The chief was seduced and had moana with the goddess of the sea Tangaroa. When the Goddess presented the chief with his daughter she told him the child's fate, which is why he fights so hard to keep her away from the ocean.
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!
For five years, Disney consulted scores of people on research trips throughout the South Pacific, specialists in fishing techniques and tattoos, ancient navigation and traditional dance. These experts formed the film's Oceanic Story Trust, and it was members of this group who pushed the filmmakers for a bigger Maui.
Although Moana's relationship with Maui never extends beyond the platonic level in the film, and although he is a 1,000-year old demigod and she is a 16-year old human, a lot of fans of the film like to put her and Maui in a romantic pairing known as Hooked Wayfinder.
Created by directors Ron Clements and John Musker and voiced by Dwayne Johnson, Maui is loosely based on Māui from Hawaiian mythology. In the film, Maui is depicted as a demigod who was abandoned by his parents and eventually adopted by the gods.
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.
The overarching message of Moana is, truly, that the worst thing to happen to you doesn't have to define you. Moana's father lives in fear due to a tragic past; Maui feels as though he is missing a critical part of himself without his hook; Te Fiti turns into a literal monster after she is attacked.
Some fans interpret the show as a series of dreams or a coma-induced hallucination, while others see a misogynist message behind Miss Rabbit's character, suggesting that women can't have successful careers and be mothers.
Notice the koru (spiral) symbol intimated in the sand that Moana stands on - a portal perhaps - representing new life, growth, adventure and return. This scene is ripe with symbolism and metaphor - the call to adventure, Moana as the chosen one, the start of a personal journey to paradise, an…
The reasons behind the change of name are not completely clear, but a tweet from Disney España gives an important clue: 'Moana' is registered as a trademark in Spain, and in a number of other European countries, hence the change to Vaiana in Europe.
With a creation story like that, it's obvious why Hawaiians see the makau symbol as so special. But the fish hook symbol doesn't only represent Maui's greatest catch, but it also symbolizes the connection between humans and the ocean. The hook also brings prosperity, good luck, and strength to all who wear the symbol.
His mischievous deeds were often to the benefit of mankind. From creating fire to raising the sky to snare the sun, Maui was a hero whose legacy spanned well over 1000 years while these stories traveled over 4000 miles across the Pacific ocean.
Moana knows Maui is afraid of Te fiti's heart, the green stone and she makes fun of him while as he admantly asserts he is not afraid despite physically cowering.
