If we place our criticisms about the movie to one side just for a moment, this then says to me that there are two key morals that the movie helped to showcase: Three thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped, and no one knows why…

Maui’s tattoos. They were personal and meaningful to HIM in the film’s context. HE gave island lands, better air and sky, produced greater quality sun and even provided the dietary staple of coconuts AS GIFTS TO HUMANITY: tattoos showing incredible personal feats of selflessness by the neglected hero missing his lost place in humanity. Trophies and somber memories. Perhaps Disney should have settled on just one culture rather than trying to tie them in with one another? vocab challenges. There are some decently large words in here- great for vocab assignments/learning opportunities for target market. As for the story itself...I just absolutely adored it. I felt Moana's frustration, fear, hope, and daring. I was supremely irritated with Maui a few times, but then, at others, I almost CRIED. Y'all, he was really just looking for a little gratitude to feel like he was actually DOING something for humans, and he JUST WANTED SOME LOVE, BC WE ALL NEED LOOOOOVEEEE!!! /endcrazytirade Thought to be set within Samoa, the story of Moana centres around a female Pacific Islander (the first central Disney character to ever have this description) who wishes to explore the world by sea.

Her people believe the demi-God, Maui stole Te Fiti’s greenstone heart, which means that ocean life is dwindling all around them. Some say Te Fiti is a personalisa tion of the island of Tahiti, which is also pan Polynesian for “a faraway place”. This to me seems like a fair analysis.

Moana • Maui • Gramma Tala • Chief Tui • Sina • Heihei • Pua • Mini Maui • Tamatoa • Kakamora • Te Fiti/Te Kā • Ocean • Eight-Eyed Bats • Matai Vasa • Motunui Villagers A big part of the movie's allure is the visuals and music so I'm not sure how enjoyable the book is if you haven't seen the movie but I thought the author did a great job on the writing. Also, there are a number of Polynesian folk-lore short stories sprinkled throughout. Crossing the barrier reef has long since been a taboo within her hometown, but she‘ s a traveller and a wayfinder through and through.

Since being criticised of being a little “racist” after producing Aladdin in 1992, Disney has fought hard to banish that image over the years to produce movies based on cultures from all around the world with plenty of research behind them.