In another riff by Jemaine that didn't make the film, Tamatoa confessed that he never actually ate his grandmother, and claimed that he only said he did to seem scary. Moana writer Jared Bush noted in an interview that, despite their rivalry, Maui and Tamatoa share similarities.
He's quite monstrous in both size and attitude, one of his most well-known traits being his sadistic habit of eating anyone around him, be they humans, sea creatures or even gods—he even admitted to eating his own grandmother.
Above all, Tamatoa is also extremely narcissistic, arrogant, vituperative, uncompromising and manipulative. With a superiority complex, he views himself as beautiful and others as irrelevant and disposable.
There is a post-credit scene where Tamatoa the Crab (Jemaine Clement) explains he's still stuck on his back and is still upside down and he needs a little push then he breaks the fourth wall by telling the audience that if he was named Sebastian and if he had a cool Jamaican accent we would help turn him over.
Just before Moana and Maui see Tomatoa, Maui mentions that he ripped off Tomatoa's leg. In Finding Dory, Hank (the octopus) only had seven tentacles because they couldn't animate eight.
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.
The Heart of Te Fiti May Have Been Keeping Tala Alive
Considering the ocean chose Moana when she was a child, someone needed to keep the precious Heart safe. A popular fan theory explains that with the Heart in her possession, Gramma Tala was granted a little more time to live and guide Moana on her quest.
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.
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.
Even though Tamatoa is able to overpower Maui, he is no match for the strong-willed and clever teen, Moana, who tricks the crab into relinquishing the magical hook.
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.
History. According to Maui, they took one look at him after his birth and decided they didn't want him as they refuse to bear the difficulties of raising a child. As such, they threw him into the ocean like he was nothing, though he was saved by the gods, who raised him to become a demigod to provide gifts for humanity ...
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.
In the first film, Moana is around 16 years old when she sets out on a journey from her island of Motunui to find Maui and force him to restore the heart of Te Fiti. That would make her about 19 or 20 in the new movie.
As Moana looks back at the island, she's able to witness Tala's light go out, indicating that her grandmother has died. Tala's spirit takes the form of an illuminated manta ray, and guides Moana to the open ocean, beginning the journey.
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. Others suggest that it is of African origin, and means “giver of life,” according to the website Names Org.
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.
Moana's father and Tamatoa speak New Zealand English (NZE), which, though potentially unfamiliar to some, may be associated with a British, rather than “foreign” accent (defined as that of a non-native English speaker). Gramma Tala is the only principle character who speaks SE with a foreign accent.
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!
