Moana
Director: Ron Clements, Don Hall, John Musker, Chris Williams
Cast: Auli'i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement
Disney’s 56th animated film, “Moana” chronicles the story of a beautiful, young Polynesian princess who embarks on an epic journey to fulfill an ancient quest and restore the heart of the beautiful goddess, Te Fiti, before her curse destroys Moana’s home forever.
One of the most powerful themes in the film is identity and nowhere is this theme more perfectly illustrated than in the characters of Moana and the goddess Te Fiti.
Throughout the film, Moana struggles to understand her own identity. She had two very different voices warring inside of her. Is she the daughter of the chief, whose destiny it is to add her own stone to the sacred mountain and take her father's place as leader of her people? Or does she follow her own heart and answer the ocean’s call to save her people from Te Fiti's curse?
While Grandma Tala tells Moana that the ocean chose her to restore the heart of Te Fiti, I believe that the ocean tests Moana, not once, but many times on her journey towards restoring the heart of Te Fiti. Saving the baby turtle when she was but a toddler herself was only the first test Moana had to face in order to restore the heart. The second test came when she ventured out beyond the reef for the first time. Although she failed to get past the reef, this moment is vital because it sets Moana on her path towards learning the truth about the heart of Te Fiti and the long-kept secret of her people from her grandmother. The third test comes when she is alone in the ocean and she is visited by Grandma Tala once again. It is in this moment that Moana faces yet another choice. Does she return home to her family and become her father’s daughter or does she finish her quest to restore the heart? It is in this moment that Moana truly understands what she's supposed to do. It’s not Maui who is meant to restore the heart at all...its Moana, herself. Her final test (and the most important one) comes when she must find the courage to face the Volcano Goddess and see both Te Fiti and herself as they truly are. It is only when she restores the heart to its rightful place and returns home victorious that she has passed the ocean's test and ultimately in doing so, she realizes her own identity and is finally able to place her "stone" on the sacred mountain.
I think the reason why Moana and Te Fiti look nearly identical is because the Goddess Te Fiti is a reflection of Moana, herself. When Te Fiti lost her heart, she transformed into a volcano goddess, Te Ka. She had literally lost her identity when Maui stole her heart - the thing that was most precious to her – and her anger and pain were reflected in the fiery goddess, Te Ka. It is only after Moana learns the truth and restores the heart of the Mother Goddess that she is able to transform back into her true form and find peace. There are other subtle similarities between Moana and Te Fiti as well. The symbol on the heart of Te Fiti, and the mark on her chest when she becomes the lava goddess, Te Ka, is the same symbol that's painted on Moana's sail when she embarks on her journey to find Maui and on the turtle’s shell at the beginning of the film.
Disney’s 56th animated masterpiece, “Moana”, is one of the most beautiful and unique films that Disney has created to date. The animation for this film is absolutely stunning, the casting is exceptional, particularly for Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson who bring the characters of Moana and Maui to life, and the film combines humor, adventure and even a little bit of Polynesian history, steeped in legend and myth, to create a truly heartfelt and powerful story.
© 2013 – 2017 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: Ron Clements, Don Hall, John Musker, Chris Williams
Cast: Auli'i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jemaine Clement
Disney’s 56th animated film, “Moana” chronicles the story of a beautiful, young Polynesian princess who embarks on an epic journey to fulfill an ancient quest and restore the heart of the beautiful goddess, Te Fiti, before her curse destroys Moana’s home forever.
One of the most powerful themes in the film is identity and nowhere is this theme more perfectly illustrated than in the characters of Moana and the goddess Te Fiti.
Throughout the film, Moana struggles to understand her own identity. She had two very different voices warring inside of her. Is she the daughter of the chief, whose destiny it is to add her own stone to the sacred mountain and take her father's place as leader of her people? Or does she follow her own heart and answer the ocean’s call to save her people from Te Fiti's curse?
While Grandma Tala tells Moana that the ocean chose her to restore the heart of Te Fiti, I believe that the ocean tests Moana, not once, but many times on her journey towards restoring the heart of Te Fiti. Saving the baby turtle when she was but a toddler herself was only the first test Moana had to face in order to restore the heart. The second test came when she ventured out beyond the reef for the first time. Although she failed to get past the reef, this moment is vital because it sets Moana on her path towards learning the truth about the heart of Te Fiti and the long-kept secret of her people from her grandmother. The third test comes when she is alone in the ocean and she is visited by Grandma Tala once again. It is in this moment that Moana faces yet another choice. Does she return home to her family and become her father’s daughter or does she finish her quest to restore the heart? It is in this moment that Moana truly understands what she's supposed to do. It’s not Maui who is meant to restore the heart at all...its Moana, herself. Her final test (and the most important one) comes when she must find the courage to face the Volcano Goddess and see both Te Fiti and herself as they truly are. It is only when she restores the heart to its rightful place and returns home victorious that she has passed the ocean's test and ultimately in doing so, she realizes her own identity and is finally able to place her "stone" on the sacred mountain.
I think the reason why Moana and Te Fiti look nearly identical is because the Goddess Te Fiti is a reflection of Moana, herself. When Te Fiti lost her heart, she transformed into a volcano goddess, Te Ka. She had literally lost her identity when Maui stole her heart - the thing that was most precious to her – and her anger and pain were reflected in the fiery goddess, Te Ka. It is only after Moana learns the truth and restores the heart of the Mother Goddess that she is able to transform back into her true form and find peace. There are other subtle similarities between Moana and Te Fiti as well. The symbol on the heart of Te Fiti, and the mark on her chest when she becomes the lava goddess, Te Ka, is the same symbol that's painted on Moana's sail when she embarks on her journey to find Maui and on the turtle’s shell at the beginning of the film.
Disney’s 56th animated masterpiece, “Moana”, is one of the most beautiful and unique films that Disney has created to date. The animation for this film is absolutely stunning, the casting is exceptional, particularly for Auli’i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson who bring the characters of Moana and Maui to life, and the film combines humor, adventure and even a little bit of Polynesian history, steeped in legend and myth, to create a truly heartfelt and powerful story.
© 2013 – 2017 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.