Finding the Way To Authentic Animated Representation in “Moana 2”

Making waves since 2016 (and still making a splash in my household today), the animated musical film “Moana” not only made history with a Polynesian girl as its fearless lead but also introduced a Disney princess — although she prefers the title “daughter of the chief” — whose  goal was not to fall in love, but instead to save her people. Talk about a sea change! 

This November, audiences will once again set sail for the enchanting shores of Motunui and beyond, where new characters, mischievous villains, and even a little sister await in “Moana 2.” Mochi Magazine dives into the magical world created by the Disney Animation Studios team to learn what it takes to “know the way” when it comes to authentic representation.

Although the sequel was originally announced as a Disney+ series, the film’s leadership quickly realized that Moana’s next adventure was meant for the big screen.

The trio of David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller, all of whom are making their feature directorial debut, prove that it takes a village (with over 750 creatives). As a screenwriter and a Samoan American, Miller was tapped to write the live-action version of the first film, where she dove into the psychology of Moana and her choices — and why she is so beloved by audiences. Because of Miller’s insight, the Moana we meet may be three years older but she’s not that different from the Moana we know and love. 

Instead, the world around her is growing and she is finding that she needs to continue choosing who she is. “We take everything that everyone loved about the first movie and we expand on it. The world is just as lush, but it’s bigger. We’re pushing Moana beyond the horizon, even farther beyond the horizon than she’s ever gone before,” said Miller. 

The Heart of Cultural Authenticity

The team at Disney Animation Studios worked in concert and chorus to tell this epic adventure, but expanding the horizons of Disney’s version of Polynesia required the kind of worldbuilding that honors, respects, and pays tribute to realities and often untold histories. 

That’s where the Oceanic Cultural Trust came in. Doing the research for John Musker and Ron Clements, the directors of the first “Moana” film, meant more than visiting the Pacific Islands. It required bringing together a group of consultants that were from the communities they were representing on screen. Having consultants who ranged from anthropologists, historians, linguists, and choreographers made the film one of the most culturally authentic Disney projects. 

When the team started working on the sequel, turning to the Oceanic Cultural Trust was one of the first steps in the process. “We took some time to sit together as a group with our lead consultant and watch the first film, talk about what really resonated with us from a cultural lens, and then also ask questions about what we would love to see if we were going to be expanding more on a story,” said Lāina Kanoa-Wong, a cultural consultant from Oahu. 

Motunui is not a real island in the Pacific, and Disney is clear that Moana lives in a version of Polynesia that is not our own. In reality, Polynesia spans over a thousand islands with eight distinct cultures. Rather than borrow from the cultures, the Oceanic Cultural Trust helped shape the fictional village’s culture, from language to clothing to dance. 

The start of production was not the end of the journey for the Oceanic Cultural Trust. Members of the group were consulted for researching plot elements, characters, and setting. Working on Zoom because the consultants are from across the Pacific, they were asked to review designs, songs, and more. 

“We got to sit down with the film team, with the directors, with the early designers, and have kava, which is a ceremonial drink that you’ll see throughout the Pacific, that you might see in this film,” recalled Senior Manager Kalikolehua Hurley at Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Cultural Trust team and a Hawaiian member of the Trust. “[We] used the kava as a way to bring everyone together to share ideas, but also to affirm this commitment to try to tell these stories right, to honor the people of the Pacific and their wayfinding heritage and history.”

Their impact can be found in the smallest details — why the boats are all bound, not a nail in sight — to the choreography — with Moana’s people having a signature dance style — and intentions behind the music. 

Celebrating Ancient Wayfinding Techniques

One of the most magical performances in “Moana” is presented by the water, often named people’s favorite character in the film. While vast oceans and endless amounts of water can be scary and seem almost like antagonists in other films, Moana’s relationship with the water in the first and second films is one that is based in reality. 

“It really embodies those feelings that we have as Pacific Islanders toward the ocean: how it can be playful, how it connects us, how it can help you and help you connect deeper, maybe even to who you are,” shared Kanoa-Wong.

A long-held misconception is that Pacific Islander people simply drifted and found new islands voyaging across the ocean without navigation. The reality is that these people developed wayfinding techniques using knowledge on the location of hundreds of stars, weather patterns, and other signs from nature without the use of modern tools like the compass. In 1976, the Hōkūleʻa voyaging canoe embarked on its historic journey to prove the efficacy of the ancient science of wayfinding and to recover the lost heritage of traditional ocean navigation methods.

“You have to be in tune with nature. You have to take time to observe, to see how things are taking shape. You can forecast things by looking at the colors in the clouds, in the movement of the stars, where the sun sets, and how the light shines — all of those things give you clues for how the weather is going to be,” Hurley explained. 

The ancient art and science of wayfinding — over a thousand years old — is a skill that Moana reignites for her people. While our heroine embarked alone to find the demigod Maui in the first film, this time around, she doesn’t set off alone. 

Hurley admitted that she has not been on voyages as long as Moana’s but has been on a vessel with no land in sight. “We take a lot of the provisions that the community provides. [We bring] some of the best foods that we dry preserve, but our favorite is fish, and we have people who are fishermen on board,” she noted. “There’s so many roles on the canoe: your navigator, your quartermaster, your fishermen. The most important one that we’ll often say is the chef, because if the chef is cooking a great meal, everybody is happy.”

Audiences can look forward to a captivating new adventure that deepens Moana’s knowledge while introducing intriguing new characters and challenges, all crafted with the invaluable guidance of the Oceanic Cultural Trust. Delving deeper into the rich mythological landscape of Polynesian storytelling, culture, and traditions, this sequel promises to honor the spirit of the beloved original while pushing Moana into thrilling, uncharted waters.

After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced. “Moana 2” reunites Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) and Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. You can catch “Moana 2” in theaters on Nov. 27, 2024.

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