Moana – which originally means ” Ocean” – was the daughter of the village chief of Motunui and was chosen by the ocean as a child to restore the heart of Tefiti, the life-creating goddess. However, it isn’t until things go sorely bad that she responds to the call of the ocean that has plagued her since she was a child. 

How Old Is Moana?

There isn’t any official declaration throughout the movie that gives Moana’s age, but observation tells us that she’s a teenager with wild dreams like me and most likely you. 

However, a junior novel of the book written and published by Suzanne Francis in October 2016 says that Moana is 16. 

Though based on the fictional island of Motunui, Moana is based on the real cultural heritage of the Polynesian Islands and its people. These Islands make up a region with over 1,000 islands that spread across the Pacific Ocean and form a triangle. The region has Hawaii, New Zealand, and Easter Island located in its north, south, and eastern regions respectively. Moana is the 12th official Disney Princess and the 2nd to be of a Polynesian background, the first was Lilo from Disney’s “Lilo and Stitch”.

The story continues with chief-in-training, Moana risking her life to go beyond the ocean’s reef in a bid to return the heart of Tefiti. Against her father’s wish, she steals a boat and rows away in the darkness of night. With her grandma’s spirit to guide her, the heart of Tefiti to remind her of her mission, close to “zero” way-finding skills to navigate the ocean, and Heihei the uninvited sidekick, she journeys first to the free Maui – the shape-shifting demigod who stole the heart in the first place – and then return the heart of Tefiti.

Maui is trapped in a cave on a mystical island and is without his hook that otherwise would have let him shape shift and escape bondage. Moana is somehow able to convince the tricky demigod and the two embark on the journey unaware of the many troubles that lie ahead.

After tossing the heart back to the ocean in frustration, grandma Tala appears to Moana, giving her the strength to forge ahead. Meanwhile, back home the island of Motunui is dying, and darkness was starting to cover the land as the repercussion of Maui’s theft began to materialize. The only hope for redemption is Moana’s rebellious journey to follow the ocean’s call and restore the green heart of Tefiti.

Did Moana Die in The Storm?

Although Disney never confirmed it, a certain fan’s theory, shared by Occams-Toothbrush on Reddit, suggests that Moana died in the thunderstorm at the beginning of the movie. This theory is supported especially by the fact that, after her ship capsized, Moana only encounters her dead grandmother, gods, demigods, and other legendary creatures (like Te ka the shiny crab), making it look like she died. 

In my opinion, Moana did not die, and fan theories are exactly what they are – fan theories, and here’s why. Recall that the ocean already chose Moana when she was a toddler and apparently the ocean could communicate and even make Moana’s hair. It is not entirely impossible to find oxygen underwater, fish bubbles can carry little portions of oxygen. So, if the ocean could make Moana’s hair, why won’t it save her life?

Moana Soundtrack

You’ve got to admit it, we all love the songs from Moana, but I think it’s high time we stopped mumbling when we get to Maui’s ‘you’re welcome” rap. To help, I’ve attached 2 links to the complete soundtrack.

https://www.justjared.com/2016/11/18/disneys-moana-soundtrack-stream-download/

Moana Cast

The movie features some of Hollywood’s best names, including rising stars. 

• Auli’i Cravalho who makes her acting debut as she plays Moana. 

• Dwayne Johnson (the Rock) plays Maui.

• Rachel House who acted as Topaz in ‘Thor Ragnarok’ plays Moana’s Grandma – Tala.

• Temuera Morrison who acted as Arthur’s father in ‘Aquaman’ plays Moana’s overprotective father – Chief Tui. 

• Jemaine Clement who acted as Boris the Animal in ‘Men in Black 3’ plays Tamotoa – the shiny giant crab. 

• Nicole Scherzinger who acted as Lilly Poison in ‘Men in Black 3’ plays Moana’s mother – Sina

• Alan Tudyk who acted as Tucker in the movie ‘Tucker & Dale vs. Evil’ plays Heihei the rooster.

• Puanani Cravalho (Auliʻi’s mother) plays the role of a villager in the movie.