CuriousPlanet.com. – Well, surely the Moana curiosities have aroused your curiosity to know the real story of Disney’s Moana (Vaiana, in Europe) and its origins.
Where is Moana of Motunui from? Is Moana Chilean? Is Moana’s island real? Where is Motunui Island? Is the island from Chile?
Curious Planet makes a brief summary of Moana’s history.
History of Moana summarized, and its origins
Moana tells the story of a brave princess who, against the wishes of her family, leaves and sails across the Pacific Ocean with a demigod to return a sacred stone to an island deity because her people are running out of food in Motunui Island, which is where they live. When they finally return the stone, the dangers of the sea disappear. People from her can again travel the seas in search of food.
Many people were enchanted by the realistic nature of the scenes, the brightness of the water, the natural hair of the characters blowing in the wind, and the color and texture of the sand. As well as the culture, the houses and their traditions.
Therefore, interesting questions also arose. Is Disney’s ‘Moana’ Based on a True Story? What is the true origin of Moana, what country is moana fromWhat ethnic group, tribe or indigenous people do you come from?
For example, there are those who claim that Moana is Chilean. Is this true?
Is Moana Chilean?
This is a subject that creates debate
Some claim that Moana is Chilean, while others say that she is not, but that she is Hawaiian, or from Samoa. What is the truth?
First let’s see, what is Moana’s island?
Motunui Island, Moana’s village
Where is Moana from, where does she live? Moana lives on Motunui Island, although in the story it is called Moana’s Island.
According to history, the island or the town of Moana is bathed in vegetation with white sand, which is increasingly in danger.
Where is Motunui Island?
The Motunui island where Moana lives is fictitious, it doesn’t exist, so you won’t be able to find it on any map.
Moana Island, Motunui, is often confused with the similarly named islet, Motu Nui, located in the South Pacific, southwest of Easter Island, which belongs to Chile. Hence the theory that Moana is Chilean.
Just a clarification. An islet is a small island where no people normally live because they are too small.
The Motu Nui islet does exist while the Motunui island where Moana lives is not real.
So no. Moana is not Chilean.
Since the island of Moana does not exist, what is the origin of Moana? Where is Moana from?
Is Moana Hawaiian, New Zealand, Samoan, or Tahitian?
Moana is polynesian
Moana is actually Polynesian. The story is a mix of Polynesian history and the explorers who sailed the sea.
In fact, directors John Musker and Ron Clements traveled the South Pacific, visiting several islands, including Tetiaroa, Fiji, Samoa, Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora and New Zealand, located in Polynesia.
These islands inspired the fictional Motunui Island where Moana lives.
What is polynesia?
Polynesia is a region of Oceania that forms a triangle of 30 million square kilometers. It has about 1,000 islands in the central and southern Pacific Ocean.
Between that ‘Polynesian triangle’ is Hawaii to the North, New Zealand to the Southwest and Easter Island to the East.
It has been said that Moana has a mix of various cultures.
So we can’t say he’s from a certain town in particular.
In addition, as has been said, the story takes place about 2,000 years ago. So we couldn’t give him a modern nationality.
Is Disney’s Moana based on a true story?
The character of Moana was not a real person. And the demigod Maui has existed in Polynesian culture for centuries.
According to Smithsonian magazine, settlers came to live in Western Polynesia about 3,500 years ago. But they did not inhabit the other islands of Eastern and Central Polynesia. They did so more than 1,500 to 2,000 years later. Why? Historians don’t know why the Polynesians didn’t travel to those islands.
Then Disney, in his movie presents a theory that explains why people did not travel across the sea in those years. So Moana, along with her pet rooster and Maui fight against the fearsome monsters of the sea and find ways.
Although the story is not real, it is based on a true event. As we have seen, the creators of Moana were inspired by historical facts and Polynesian culture.
Now, not everyone is happy with what Disney captured.
Negative reviews of Disney
Disney has received some negative reviews for this movie.
For example, in New Zealand, human rights intervened after Disney wanted to sell a Maui costume, something that the Maori considered offensive because they see him as an “ancestor”, and fear that they take over the Polynesian culture.
Disney is also criticized for making money based on the beliefs of the Polynesian culture with a bad taste when it comes to exposing Polynesian customs.
For example, in Polynesian culture, tattoos are used to tell personal stories. Some say that exposing it as Disney did is disrespectful. Worse yet, to earn money, according to Polynesian culture.
Not everyone always likes the work that Disney does to represent diverse cultures.
Apparently they are the same Polynesians who do not agree with Disney.
Photos of Moana
If you want photos of Moana, here are some:
These images of Moana are from some of the scenes in the movie: Moana: A Sea of Adventures.
In Europe it is called Vaiana.
In this article you have seen the brief history of Vaiana, Vaina Island and where Vaiana is from.
Moana’s song
This is the Latin version of the Moana song.
Who sings in Moana’s song? Sara Paula Gómez Arias performs the song “How far I’m going”.
In addition, Sara Gómez does the Latin dubbing of Moana’s voice.
What do you think?