Connie Kim
This past Thanksgiving weekend, Disney released their highly anticipated movie “Moana,” placing the film at the top of the opening box office sales. It highlights a Polynesian culture through its adventurous story and a princess that is unique from ones that Disney has featured in their previous films.
The main character is dark skinned, black haired and not bone-skinny. Disney did a great job in not only illustrating a feminist hero that defies the stereotypical princess image but also presented an accurate representation of the beauty of the Polynesian people and their culture.
Coming from Hawaii – which yes, if you didn’t know, is a part of the Polynesian islands – I, along with several of my other CMU/Hawaii friends were extremely excited to see the major motion picture. Marketers did a great job in hyping up the movie through releasing teaser trailers and hiring the right cast members. Hawaii homebody Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson and Hawaiian girl Auli’i Cravalho who goes to a private school reserved specifically for those of Hawaiian ancestry. We were all beyond stoked.
The film starts on a Polynesian island, where Moana, daughter of the island’s chief, is first introduced to us as a baby. She is called into the ocean by the water itself – the water seems to be portrayed as an all knowing animated character – who picks her to be the “chosen one” to bring Maui, the demi-god, to restore Moana’s dying island. While her father is against her going out at sea, Moana decides it’s her destiny to find help and sets sail with her voyaging canoe. She finds Maui, who turns out to be a selfish, egotistical character, and the two go through several adventures before heading back to Moana’s home.
The overall storyline keeps the audience constantly entertained, with jokes and an impressive soundtrack to go along with it. I feel like the movie is very age appropriate for its target audience of taking advantage of the culture’s bright colors, dancing, silly facial reactions and the overall theme of adventure.
However, aside from the plot, I was more impressed with the subliminal details. The Polynesian culture was depicted so well through everything that the Disney team did, that it achieved a sense of understanding without having to explain every detail with words. It immersed the viewer into that same feeling to make every bit appropriate for the actions that the characters performed.
One of the easiest examples to point out was Maui’s constant cheering, “Chee hoo!” People in Colorado asked me what the phrase meant, or why people would scream that. Maui did an excellent job in portraying when, where and why that phrase is used.
Other things, such as touching foreheads with one another to greet someone, or even as simple as putting their hair up in a quick bun before getting to work, were all tiny things that were so right regarding cultural aspects and tendencies.
Maui himself was someone that I recognized through the stories that I’ve heard as a little girl growing up in Hawaii. The remembered Hawaiian singer, Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, more commonly known as “IZ,” wrote about Maui, who he called a Hawaiian Superman. And no, the legend wasn’t portrayed as an egotistical man or a person of his size. A lot of the Pacific people are upset about that inaccuracy, but I think the movie did well in just introducing a character so significant to Polynesian culture.
I am not of Polynesian descent myself but growing up around it; I think Disney did a fantastic job in portraying the culture accurately. Disney created a new princess like never before, highlighting feminism and independence through an exciting, funny and adventurous story. I would highly recommend the film to all, as it is a highly entertaining, family-friendly movie that will give the audience a good time. Even if you have no relations or any prior knowledge to Polynesia, this easygoing film will capture your heart and entice your inner voyager.
Due to both the storyline, and the cultural aspect of the movie, I say this movie is a must-watch. Disney has always done a great job with their Princess movies, and this one does not disappoint.
5/5 Stars.
