Audiences across the Pacific have welcomed Moana 2 and cheered seeing aspects of their culture on the big screen, while Disney’s portrayal of the demigod character Maui has drawn some criticism for reinforcing stereotypes.
A sequel to the 2016 animated film, Moana 2 reunites Auli’i Cravalho as the wayfinding title character with Maui, voiced by Dwayne Johnson, on a voyage to break a curse and reunite the people of the ocean.
The original film was a huge hit with audiences and draws inspiration from Pacific mythology and culture. It follows Moana, a young islander who must voyage across the ocean to save her people from a terrible threat. She is helped along the way by Maui and other friends.
Disney’s blockbuster sequel has already smashed records and grossed more than $400m worldwide. Many people across the Pacific – a massive region which includes thousands of islands and is home to diverse communities, languages and cultures – embraced the film and how it reflects aspects of their way of life.
In Papua New Guinea’s capital, Port Moresby, Lawrence Lahari took his three young children to watch the film, and they talked about it for days.
“Great humour… and it definitely pulled the heartstrings of our kids. The Polynesian storyline is very evident. We felt proud, at last a movie on the big screen that we can all relate to!,” Lahari said.
Samoan poet Penehuro Williams also felt that the film represented the Pacific well.
“Moana 2 explores the importance of home, family, community, and connection. And these are all qualities that resonate within the general, Pacific Island cultures,” he says.
In Australia, the Taufao-Tuato family who are of Samoan descent, watched the film together in Brisbane. Leilani Tuato says her nephew kept asking “why are they speaking Samoan?’ In fact, it wasn’t Samoan, but he understood it was about us Pacific islanders, which was cute coming from the young ones.”
Tamara Taufao says the family loves their culture and was so proud to see it depicted on screen.
“Some parts could be explained better, but in the end, it’s a children’s movie, and they can ask their parents if they want to know more,” she says.
The much-anticipated release has also been hugely popular in Tahiti, the main island in French Polynesia, with the film now being aired in theatres up to six times a day – and that looks set to continue for the next few months.
Movie theatres in Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, were sold out last week for the premiere of Vaiana 2, the French language release of the film.
Keonie Toofa saw Moana 2 with her daughter in Papeete, saying “it was even better than the first one. My daughter loved it, she had stars in her eyes.”
Daniel Aipa, Hawaii father of three, says he “felt a sense of pride” watching the film.
“The fact that my children who are native Hawaiian felt seen and could relate to many of the elements in the film made me feel very proud and filled with gratitude.”
But others have criticised some of the cultural depictions in the film – in particular, the character of Maui. Since the release of the first Moana film, many in the Pacific community have said that the character perpetuates harmful stereotypes of Polynesian men as overweight and lazy, and they also have issues with the Disney-fied version of an important mythological figure.
Keala Kelly, a native Hawaiian indigenous rights activist, says that the Moana films mine native identities and cultures for profit, to the detriment of Pacific peoples.
“It’s only about making money, not representing. It further invisibilises while pretending to show who we are,” says Kelly.
“The notion that the profit driven … Disney could even get close to depicting anything remotely respectful of our complexities and the deep genealogical and spiritual roots our peoples have to our homelands is as ridiculous as their depiction of Maui,” says Kelly.
In many Pacific island cultures, Maui is a sacred ancestor who accomplishes incredible feats, such as capturing the sun and fishing up islands.
“Hollywood Māui relies on his muscle and magical powers, Polynesian Māui’s biggest muscles were in his head and stomach (where the soul, courage, inner strength and confidence resides),” says Mike Ross, head of Māori studies at the University of Wellington in New Zealand.
“Hollywood Māui would have no chance against the Māui of Polynesia,” he adds.
