Anna Moana Rosa Pozzi (Italian pronunciation: [ˈanna moˈaːna ˈrɔːza ˈpottsi]; 27 April 1961 – 15 September 1994), also known mononymously as Moana, was an Italian pornographic actress, television personality and politician.
The film is set in ancient Polynesia and tells the story of Moana, the strong-willed daughter of a chief of a coastal village, who is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with the goddess Te Fiti.
Disney Changed Moana's Title In Italy Due To An Unfortunate Name Clash. The Italian-language version of Moana kept the main character's name as Vaiana, but switched the title to Oceana to avoid referencing a prominent adult film star well-known in Italy, Moana Pozzi.
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.
Moana references Polynesian mythology all throughout the movie, specifically with the character Maui. Although Maui isn't a perfect portrayal of the original legends (and the legends vary across islands), the Disney version does incorporate some familiar, favorite Polynesian stories.
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.
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.
In Moana, Disney creators employed some creative license, but they did highlight some actual Polynesian origin myths. In “The Maui Myths,” Maori natives of Tolago (today called Tolaga) Bay, North Island, New Zealand recount Maui's mytho-history which aided in the creation of Moana.
Te Fiti does not have a direct translation to the English language. The Hawaiian alphabet does not contain the letters T or F, so the name Te Fiti has no exact meaning. However, some fans believe that the name is a translation of the Maori language from the Eastern Polynesian area, set to mean “far off place.”
According to legend, Māui was a premature baby. When he was born, he was so small that his mother thought he was dead. Devastated, she cut off her own hair, her topknot (tikitiki), and wrapped him in it. She set him down in the sea, in this craft of hair, and let him drift out into the ocean.
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 that's not to say that there aren't some similarities between Disney's Moana and wider beliefs – particularly Polynesian beliefs. One key example is the character, Maui. He's a heroic figure that can be found throughout many Polynesian myths, legends and stories.
On December 20, Netflix removed Moana to make room for a new lineup of films for Christmas and New Year's Eve. While Moana is no longer available on Netflix, you are still able to enjoy the movie over the holidays. Amazon Prime offers Moana for purchase, and iTunes offers both a rental and a purchase option.
The word heihei or hei hei means "chicken" in Māori. When Maui shapeshifts into a chicken, his physical appearance is identical to Heihei's, albeit much larger.
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.
Not according to Disney's first statement on the matter, at least: “In the UK we decided to change the title to Zootropolis to merely allow the film to have a unique title that works for UK audiences,” a spokesperson told Screen International. The film itself remains unchanged.
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.
