{"id":4011,"date":"2026-07-11T19:36:39","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T19:36:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=4011"},"modified":"2026-07-11T19:36:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T19:36:39","slug":"moana-creatives-on-working-closely-to-honor-polynesian-culture-and-traditions-and-why-representation-matters-in-the-live-action-film","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=4011","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Moana\u2019 Creatives on Working Closely to Honor Polynesian Culture and Traditions, and Why Representation Matters in the Live-Action Film"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\tDwayne Johnson can finally rejoice. At the premiere of Disney\u2019s live-action \u201cMoana,\u201d the star said that, growing up, he didn\u2019t see himself represented in the media. \u201c\u2018Indiana Jones\u2019 inspired me. When I was 8 years old watching Harrison Ford, I was like, \u2018I want to be that guy,\u2019 but that guy didn\u2019t look like me.\u201d And so, as the film hits screens this weekend, Asian American and Native Hawaiian\/Pacific Islander audiences, Johnson, and the film\u2019s cast and creatives are finally finding much to celebrate.<\/p>\n

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\n\tIt\u2019s been a decade since the story about wayfarer Moana first sailed into theaters. The 2016 animation featured cultural touchstones nodding to Polynesian culture and folklore, and those moments resonated with audiences. The live-action feature brings it all to life. Aspects such as traditional M\u0101ori tribal tattoos, known as T\u0101 moko, the rich expression of history through dance, and generations of Polynesian traditions are the beating heart of Thomas Kail\u2019s adaptation. That left the film\u2019s cast and creatives feeling a sense of pride at seeing their culture represented on screen.<\/p>\n

\n\tTo ensure that the representation was done with respect and authenticity, countless artisans, consultants, experts, advisors, and department heads worked closely with the Cultural Trust. Among those experts were Dr. Grant Mu\u0101gututi\u02bba (Lead Consultant, Cultural Trust), Tiana Nonosina Liufau (Choreographer, Associate Producer, Cultural Trust) and Opetaia Foa\u02bbi (Songwriter).<\/p>\n

\n\tDrawing from her cultural background,Liufau aimed to create movement that felt unique and authentic. She worked with dancers from across the Pacific Islands, embedding traditional moves from the Samoan and Tongan regions, such as the Ori Tahiti (a Tahitian dance), the Siva Samoa (the traditional dance of Samoa), and much more to represent the early foundations of Polynesian dance. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t that we were looking for one specialized island form,\u201d she says. It was about incorporating song and dance from all the islands and fusing those movements effortlessly into the musical numbers.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnother important element for her was crafting choreography so that the dancers\u2019 faces could be seen. \u201cThere are so many Polynesian dancers throughout the world. I wanted to make sure that our community and people saw themselves on the screen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tLead consultant Mu\u0101gututi\u02bba, who spearheaded the team, wanted to ensure the tradition of respect within the culture was accurately reflected. The village sequences were discussed in detail. How people spoke and interacted \u2014 especially within the council of the chiefs \u2014 mattered. Moana\u2019s mannerisms were also important to get right. Mu\u0101gututi\u02bba says, \u201cWith Moana, it was about how she walks in, addresses her father, how she serves her elders; we wanted to make sure we got it right so when people watch the film, they can say, \u2018Yes, that\u2019s exactly how we would do it,\u2019 and that it would resonate with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tGrant also found the moments when the cast spoke Samoan important to cultural representation. \u201cThat was very meaningful for me to make sure that they got the pronunciation spot-on. The words were simple yet meaningful in the siva\u00a0tau (a traditional Samoan war dance or challenge). That scene, and when they were on top of the mountain citing lyrics that and then that, that on the mountain top, when they were citing lyrics that Opetaia wrote, they\u2019re saying it in the right way, and all of that coming together was, was pretty special.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tFoa\u02bbi is no stranger to the world of \u201cMoana,\u201d having written music for \u201cMoana,\u201d \u201cMoana 2\u201d and now the live-action Moana. Songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda calls the Tokelauan-Tuvaluan composer, musician, and singer the \u201csecret sauce\u201d to the authenticity of the film\u2019s music.<\/p>\n

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\n\tAside from translating and re-orchestrating Miranda\u2019s original song, \u201cAlong the Way\u201d in Tokelauan, he explains, the film\u2019s first song needed to have a punch, so he wrote \u201cTulou Tagaloa.\u201d \u201cI knew it had to be in Samoan to punch it home. That\u2019s my work. My work is trying to respect the history of our ancestors and match the songs to those times as a respect for them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd while critics of the film debate the live-action coming too soon, the cast of the film feel otherwise, and that this has been a longtime coming for Polynesian representation.<\/p>\n

\n\tLike the film\u2019s heroine, who ventures beyond her island to forge her own path, Owen, who worked as a member of the Maori Theater Company and starred in the Kevin Costner-produced film \u201cRapa Nui,\u201d finally saw herself and her people in \u201cMoana.\u201d She points out, \u201cEvery single person on that screen is of Polynesian descent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAmong the people Owen credits are Kail and Johnson. She says, \u201cWe all know that this legacy would not exist without a megastar. Dwayne is so passionate about his Samoan heritage and has taken this on board to open that big door for all of us to come through. I acknowledge Dwayne and, of course, our star, Catherine. We all rode on her wings.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tFrankie Adams, who plays Sina, also saw herself and her culture through the film. The Pacific Islander dance moves made her emotional. Adams says, \u201cMy mom was a big part of the cultural groups growing up. My sisters and I did Samoan dances throughout our childhood, so that was quite nostalgic for me to revisit that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tTui reprises his role as Moana\u2019s headstrong father, Chief Tui. He admits he was nervous about translating the film to live-action. \u201cWe had so much riding on our shoulders,\u201d he says. But once he saw the island, the casting, and heard the music, he felt an immense sense of pride. \u201cWe gave it a crack, and that our fight, our families, and the shoulders of ancestors that we\u2019ve stood on are proud of that.\u201d He adds, \u201cI feel like I\u2019m with some really good storytellers and powerful women and men, and we all come together to tell our stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tGrant reflects on the premiere, which kicked off with a troupe of Polynesian dancers onstage at the Hollywood Bowl. He says, \u201cI think that\u2019s just so powerful and something that I didn\u2019t have growing up, and so I hope that our young Pacific Islanders and Polynesian kids will feel that walking away from the film, inspired, empowered, and open to embracing their language and their culture and their music and just who they are.\u201d<\/p>\n

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“Moana” creatives on working closely to honor Polynesian culture and traditions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4010,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[2841],"class_list":["post-4011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film","tag-moana-2"],"yoast_head":"\n\u2018Moana\u2019 Creatives on Working Closely to Honor Polynesian Culture and Traditions, and Why Representation Matters in the Live-Action Film - Relocation Observer<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/relocationobserver.com\/?p=4011\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u2018Moana\u2019 Creatives on Working Closely to Honor Polynesian Culture and Traditions, and Why Representation Matters in the Live-Action Film - 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