Moana's Maui Was Based on The Rock's Family Member Maui Dwayne The Rock Johnson's character in Disney's Moana was partly inspired by the actor's grandfather former WWE starPeter Maivia.
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Maui is a hero and trickster in various mythologies, but a demigod or kolohe in Samoa (like in Moana), and the song We Know The Way contains some lyrics in Tokelauan - which, according to Tokelauan composer Opetaia Foa'i, resembles Samoan closely enough that Samoan speakers can understand Tokelauan (via The Spinoff).
The two most significant parts of Moana's journey, her learning wayfinding and her relationship with Maui, were drawn from Polynesian history and inspired by their mythology. Thanks to the Oceanic Trust however, there are many other details that enrich Moana's story.
Meaning:Trickster god. Maui is a boy's name of Hawaiian and Maori origin. This name belongs to a trickster god in Polynesian mythology, and was also given to one of the Hawaiian islands. The 2016 Disney film Moana brought the name Maui into popular culture with Dwayne Johnson's playful portrayal of the god.
Te Fiti does not exist in Polynesian mythology, but there is a goddess of fire, lightning, wind, and volcanoes called Pele. The spiral on Te Fiti's heart, Moana's necklace, and on the sail of her boat is called a koru. Te Fiti slightly resembles the Spring Sprite from the Firebird Suite segment in Fantasia 2000.
Kane. The chief god of the Hawaiian pantheon, Kane was the creator and the god of light. There are several titles beginning with the name Kane, but they all refer to the creator god. He's called Tane in Tahiti, New Zealand and southeastern Polynesia.
Some enjoy the movie but believe Maui should have been portrayed as a warrior. As a proud Polynesian woman, it's not often that you see a film like Moana come out. It headlines our Pasifika culture, and it's lead by our Polynesian artists in the industry.