Myth of Moana

Moana is Disney’s newest hit movie. Memorable music, relatable characters, and another non-conformist ‘princess’ take the stage in the typically theatrical take on a traditional Polynesian myth. 

According to Doug Herman of the Smithsonian Magazine, the movie appears to take place in Samoa, though most American’s will interpret it as Hawaii. And, of course, the creators of the movie drew from many cultures to create a touching storyline. So, while not accurate of one specific culture, it does a credible job of representing the group of tribes of the Polynesian Islands.

But the story focuses on a hole in Polynesian history. Archeologists refer to a dead-zone of traveling as “The Long Pause,” a time when voyaging to and from the islands halted without any discernible reason. And, for an equally inexplicable reason, they begin sailing again after almost 2,000 years. Archeological records point to an explosion of colonization after they returned to their seafaring nature.

Regardless of their creative license, Disney managed to create a lovable myth of their own, however. Moana, the main character of the movie, goes on a hero’s journey. These journeys, primarily a Westerner construct, often focuses on a young man of often privileged birth embarking on a journey for an altruistic purpose and collects mighty deeds and fame before returning home to a hero’s welcome and leads his people to prosperity. Perhaps the oldest written hero’s journey is that of Gilgamesh. We are likely all familiar with the ancient epic poem from our grade school days.

Moana is the more modernly ‘politically correct’ hero’s journey. As the daughter of the chieftain, she is chosen by the ocean itself to save her people. While she is aided by a brawny man (with no romantic affinity), Moana accomplishes her goal of saving her people and receives the gratitude of a goddess before returning home and encouraging her people to cross the reef again, presumably to begin the second era of Polynesian voyaging.